Lin Shidong stuns Ma Long to claim China Smash 2024 crown after Sun Yingsha wins women's title
Teenager Lin upset legend Ma to claim his first Grand Smash title in Beijing after 'Shasha' defeated Wang Manyu for her second career Grand Smash.
Teenage star Lin Shidong came back from 3-1 down to defeat six-time Olympic table tennis gold medalist Ma Long in the final of the inaugural China Smash on Sunday (6 October).
The 19-year-old reeled off the last three games to win 11-4, 7-11, 5-11, 13-15, 11-4, 11-5, 11-8 and claim his first WTT Grand Smash title in what was dubbed an intergenerational final at a packed Infinity Arena in Beijing.
This was Lin's third consecutive tour title after victories in the WTT Contender Almaty and WTT Champions Macao last month. Afterwards, he said, “I just focused on coming back point by point, and I wasn’t giving in to pressure.We presented an excellent game and Ma Long deserves all the applause.
Two-time Olympic singles champion Ma, who turns 36 later this month, helped the People's Republic of China to men's team gold at Paris 2024.
The veteran avoided answering questions about his retirement, saying, "I do not consider the final today a failure for me.This moment right now is pretty impressive and memorable for me.
"When I was in my 20s, I dreamed of winning the title in every tournament that I participated in. But this time, as long as I could stand on the stage, it's already a success and achievement for me and making it to the finals has already exceeded my imagination."
How Lin Shidong won his first WTT Grand Smash title
Lin used his speed in the first game with Ma, affectionately known as 'The Dictator', unable to respond as the youngster took it 11-4.
Ma delighted the crowd by going 6-2 in the second. Lin levelled at 6-6, but the 35-year-old won five of the next six points to level the match at one game apiece.
After replacing a damaged racket, three-time world champion Ma breezed to the third game before an epic fourth. Lin was ahead for most of it, but Ma showed great determination to save four game points with a wonderful forehand down the line making it 13-13. And the veteran converted his first opportunity to take it 15-13 and move to within one game of victory.
That effort appeared to take its toll on the older man as Lin went 9-3 up in the fifth before taking it 11-4. It was a similar tale in the sixth as Lin forced a decider.
The crowd was cheering as Ma went into a 5-1 lead which soon became 8-4. But Lin won the next four points to draw level before two flicked backhands saw him bring up two championship points.
He needed just the one with Ma netting an attempted smash after Lin had put up a high defensive lob. Despite suffering defeat, Ma smiled broadly at the end of a tournament where he was watched by his two sons for the first time.
Sun Yingsha wins all-Chinese women's final
Olympic silver medallist Sun Yingsha won something of a battle of attrition to take the women's final 4-2 against Wang Manyu.
With Wang carrying an injury and 'Shasha' suffering from a fever, neither player was at their best. But it was the world number one who prevailed 11-6, 12-14, 11-4, 6-11, 11-8, 11-7 to claim a sixth straight win over her fellow Chinese.
This was Sun's second Grand Smash title having been victorious in Singapore last year. Wang won the Singapore Smash in May with subsequent Olympic champion Chen Meng taking the Saudi Smash a week earlier.
This was Sun’s fourth WTT Series singles title of the year and further extends her lead in the world rankings.
“As this is the very first WTT Grand Smash event in China, I am very happy to have now made such good memories here in Beijing,” reflected Sun afterwards.