Ma Long of China hits a return during the men's singles round of 16 match against Wang Chuqin of China at 2020 ITTF Qatar Open in Doha, Qatar on March 6, 2020. (Photo by Nikku/Xinhua)
Reigning Olympic and world champion Ma Long suffered an early exit at the ITTF World Tour Platinum Qatar Open here on Friday, beaten 4-3 by fellow Chinese Wang Chuqin in the men's singles second round
DOHA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Reigning Olympic and world champion Ma Long suffered an early exit at the ITTF World Tour Platinum Qatar Open here on Friday, beaten 4-3 by fellow Chinese Wang Chuqin in the men's singles second round.
The 31-year-old Grand Slam winner of table tennis met some real challenge from the right beginning, led 2-1, 3-2 on sets, and was stretched into full sets before losing 13-15, 14-12, 4-11, 11-8, 3-11, 13-11, 11-6 to the 19-year-old Wang.
Commanding the biggest upset of the day, Wang Chuqin duly booked his place in the quarterfinals and will play compatriot Liang Jingkun after the latter rallied past Japan's Mizutani Jun, also in 4-3.
Those inot round of 16 include Wang and Liang's teammates Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin as top-seeded Fan beat another Chinese Xu Chenhao and Xu Xin, the current world No. 1, overcame Koki Niwa of Japan, both in four straight sets.
Ma Long, however, was not the only big name beaten on Friday, with 44-year-old Belarus veteran Vladimir Samsonov losing to Liam Pitchford of England 4-2.
Zhu Yuling of China serves during the women's singles quarterfinal match against Wang Manyu of China at 2020 ITTF Qatar Open in Doha, Qatar on March 6, 2020. (Photo by Nikku/Xinhua)
In the women's singles event, former junior world champion Wang Manyu beat world No. 7 Zhu Yuling 4-2 to set up an all-Chinese semifinal with current world No. 1 Chen Meng, who overcame another Chinese Wang Yidi 4-1 in the quarterfinals.
The other semifinal pit Olympic and world champion Ding Ning and Japanese sensation Ito Mima, after Ding eased past younger teammate Chen Xingtong 4-0 and Ito showed the door out for Singapore star Feng Tianwei with a 4-2 win.
Japanese duo Ishikawa Kasumi and Hirano Miu both fell in the round of 16 as the former lost to Wang Yidi and Hirano was beaten by Ding Ning. China's Youth Olympic champion Sun Yingsha failed to reach the quarterfinals, too, losing 4-0 to Chen Xingtong.
In the doubles play, Chinese pair Ma Long/Xu Xin meet England's Paul Drinkhall/Liam Ptchford in the men's doubles final, Wang Manyu/Zhu Yuling play Kihara Miyuu/Nagasaki Miyu of Japan in the women's doubles final and Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha will vie for the mixed title against Mizutani Jun/Ito Mima of Japan. ■