Saudi Smash 2024: Wang Chuqin and Chen Meng crowned inaugural event champions
Wang Chuqin and Chen Meng were victorious in the inaugural WTT Saudi Smash table tennis tournament in Jeddah on Saturday (11 May).
World number one Wang completed a double for players from People's Republic of China with a hard-fought 4-2 (11-2, 11-7, 11-5, 8-11, 10-12, 11-6) win over Germany’s Patrick Franziska.
Wang, celebrating his 24th birthday, took the first three games without too much fuss. But Franziska, the first non-Chinese player to reach a singles final in a WTT Grand Smash event, fought back to take the next two.
Wang made a strong start to the sixth game before Franziska levelled the scores at 4-4. The Chinese left-hander then won the next three points to take control before closing out victory to add his Singapore Smash success in March.
In his post-match interview, Wang said, “It was a spectacular final. This was my first time playing Patrick Franziska, who is one of the top players in the world. So, I prepared well before the match.
"He played very well today. I was leading the first three games and I struggled the latter two. During the sixth I managed to remain calm.”
Chen Meng upsets world number one Sun Yingsha
Earlier, reigning Olympic champion Chen Meng beat women's world number one Sun Yingsha to claim the second WTT Series title of her career.
Chen dropped the opening game but took the next three on her way to a 4-2 (6-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8) win over her fellow Chinese.
Chen, who won the 2022 Singapore Smash, denied Sun her 11th series triumph and now moves above Wang Manyu into second spot in the world rankings.
Sun, nicknamed 'Shasha', had won the pair's previous six encounters and a repeat looked likely when she took the opening game 11-6. But Chen reeled off three games in a row before Sun pulled one back in the fifth.
In the sixth game, Chen raced into a 10-4 lead to set up six championship points. Sun saved four of them, but Chen converted the fifth with a clean forehand winner.
"This win was totally unexpected for me because I have been the underdog for the past two years competing against Shasha," Chen said afterwards. "Today I really adopted a fighter's mentality.
"I approached this match to try and learn from the skills of a young player like Shasha. I am so excited now, I am very happy that my Saudi Smash journey has been so memorable."
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