WTT Champions Macao 2023 presented by Galaxy Entertainment Group: semi-finals concluded

The semi-finals of WTT Champions Macao 2023 presented by Galaxy Entertainment Group, organized by the Sports Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, World Table Tennis (WTT) and Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG), and co-organized by the Macau Table Tennis General Association, were played today at Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion. All four final spots were taken by Chinese players. Wang Chuqin will face Ma Long in the men’s singles final, while Wang Manyu will be up against Chen Meng in the women’s singles final.

The first match of the day saw women’s world no.2 Wang Manyu against no.3 Wang Yidi. Wang Yidi made a great start by taking the first game 11-7. The momentum then swung as Wang Manyu took the next three games (11-9, 11-9, 11-6). Wang Yidi tried to mount a comeback by winning the fifth game 11-5. However, Wang Manyu stepped up a gear to snatch the sixth game 11:4 and the match.

Chen Meng then ended Sun Yingsha’s title defense with a straight game victory (16-14, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9). World no.1 Sun was on a 24-match winning streak and in red-hot form, but was up against a determined Chen. After edging a tight first-game, Chen then raced through the next three games for the other final’s berth.

Defending champion Wang Chuqin is headed to the men’s singles final after a straight-game win (11-9, 11-9, 11-7, 11-4) over Tomokazu Harimoto of Japan. After a start and trailing the opening game 0-4, Wang fought his way back to 8-8 and took the first game 11-9. From then on Wang went from strength to strength to secure a place in tomorrow’s final.

With the support of the home crowd, Ma Long booked his ticket to the men’s singles with an exciting 4-1 victory over Alexis Lebrun (11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-8). Lebrun went into the match full of confidence after stunning world no.1 Fan Zhendong in the quarterfinals. After splitting the first two games, Ma managed to keep the intensity to finish off his opponent.

For more details, please visit the event’s website at wttmacao.sport.gov.mo or the World Table Tennis website at worldtabletennis.com, or follow the ‘Macao Major Sporting Events’ Facebook page, ‘澳門體育’ (Macao Sports) WeChat public account and ‘澳門特區體育局’ (Macao SAR Sports Bureau) WeChat subscription account.

Program of 23 April

23 April

Final

18:00

CHEN Meng (China) vs WANG Manyu (China)

19:00

MA Long (China) vs WANG Chuqin (China)

Results of 22 April

22 April

Results

Women’s singles

WANG Yidi (China) vs WANG Manyu (China)

2 : 4

CHEN Meng (China) vs SUN Yingsha (China)

4 : 0

Men’s singles

Tomokazu HARIMOTO (Japan) vs WANG Chuqin (China)

0 : 4

Alexis LEBRUN (France) vs MA Long (China)

1 : 4