Chinese Paddlers Excel in Mixed Doubles as Men's Singles Struggle Continues
Crhk · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago1 MIN
Summary
At the WTT European Grand Slam in Sweden, Wang Yidi advanced to the women's singles quarterfinals with a comeback win over Japan's Daiki Hoshimiya, while Lin Shidong was eliminated in the men's singles round of 16. The Lin Shidong/Kuai Meng pairing secured gold at the London Grand Slam, but Chinese men's singles players have now failed to reach the quarterfinals in three consecutive tournaments.
Key Points
- Wang Yidi, seeded fifth, defeated Japan's Daiki Hoshimiya 5-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-6 in the round of 16
- Lin Shidong lost to France's Alexis Lebrun 2-3 in the men's singles round of 16, ending his run in Sweden
- The Lin Shidong/Kuai Meng pair claimed the mixed doubles gold medal at the WTT London Grand Slam
- After Zhou Qihao's 2-3 loss to Japan's Kiku Matsushima on Friday, all Chinese men's singles players have been eliminated from the Swedish event
- This marks the third consecutive tournament where no Chinese player has reached the men's singles quarterfinals
Why It Matters
The contrasting performances between women's and men's singles highlight growing concerns about China's depth in the men's draw. With Wang Chuqin resting, the team lacks a consistent leader, and questions are being raised about whether Lin Shidong's dual commitment to mixed doubles and singles is spreading his training too thin to excel in the individual event .
The contrasting performances between women's and men's singles highlight growing concerns about China's depth in the men's draw. With Wang Chuqin resting, the team lacks a consistent leader, and questions are being raised about whether Lin Shidong's dual commitment to mixed doubles and singles is spreading his training too thin to excel in the individual event .