Asian Games 2023: Wang Chuqin shocks reigning champion Fan Zhendong in seven-game-thriller
The men’s singles final marked the conclusion of the table tennis competition at the event, with the People’s Republic of China securing six out of seven gold medals.
Table Tennis
Wang Chuqin of People's Republic of China clinched the men's singles table tennis title at the 2023 Asian Games , securing a remarkable 4-3 victory (12-10, 10-12, 11-13, 11-7, 4-11, 11-7, 8-11) over compatriot and reigning champion Fan Zhendong in Hangzhou on Monday (2 October).
In the showdown between the top two seeds at the event, momentum swung back and forth. Wang and Fan took turns, each claiming games and bringing the score to 3-3. This meant there had to be a seventh game to decide the winner.
In the end, world number two Wang proved to be the stronger of the two paddlers and took home the final game with a score of 11-8.
The Asian Games men’s singles final was a rematch of this year’s World Championships, where Fan came out on top against Wang**.**
The People’s Republic of China narrowly missed a clean sweep at the table tennis event, as both their women's doubles teams lost in the quarter-finals. The women's doubles gold went instead to the Republic of Korea, where Jeon Jihee and Shin Yubin defeated Suyong Cha and Sugyong Pak of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea 4-1 (11-6, 11-4, 10-12, 12-10, 11-3).
In the women’s and men’s team event, women’s and men’s singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles, the People’s Republic of China won gold.
Fan and Wang had previously teamed up to clinch men’s doubles gold during the event.