Table Tennis Mixed Team World Cup: China defeats Japan 8-1 to win the title, Lin Shidong beats Harimoto Tomokazu 2-1

On December 7th, Beijing time, the Chengdu Table Tennis Mixed Team World Cup final kicked off with a peak battle between China and their fierce opponent Japan. The contest became lopsided as China went all out, beating Japan 8-1 to claim the championship easily, marking their third straight Mixed World Cup victory. It’s worth mentioning that Lin Shidong broke through his mental block to reverse the match 2-1 against Harimoto Tomokazu, playing with strong determination!

The Mixed Team World Cup aligns with Olympic events in the next edition, making this competition extremely exciting and highly anticipated. The first team to reach 8 wins claims victory. Playing on home ground as defending champions, China launched a powerful offense. They faced some resistance in the semifinals but overcame South Korea 8-3 to reach the final again. Their opponent in the final was tough rival Japan, who defeated European powerhouse Germany 8-3 in their semifinal clash!

The first match was mixed doubles, where China’s duo Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha faced Matsushima Teru and Otofuji Satsuki. The Chinese pair performed dominantly, delivering a strong blow with a 3-0 sweep. The game scores were 11-4, 11-4, and 11-6, demonstrating absolute control. This secured an early victory and a great start for China!

The second match was women’s singles. China sent out world number two Wang Manyu, while Japan fielded their top rising star Miwa Harimoto. Wang Manyu completely overwhelmed her opponent, dominating Miwa Harimoto who was left helpless. Wang won decisively 3-0 with scores of 11-6, 11-7, and 11-6. The comfortable win left Miwa Harimoto in despair!

The highlight men’s singles match featured China’s Lin Shidong against strong rival Harimoto Tomokazu. Lin had lost to Harimoto before but by narrow margins, indicating he faced mental pressure in crucial moments. Whether he could prove himself this time was uncertain. Harimoto started aggressively, winning the first game 11-6. Lin then adjusted quickly, unleashed full power, and fought back fiercely, taking the next two games 11-5 and 11-6 with strong forehand attacks, ultimately winning 2-1!

With this, China achieved an impressive streak of 11 consecutive wins to claim the championship. Truly dominant performance—congratulations to China for reclaiming the title! This event seems tailor-made for them, making their victory almost certain!

Written by / Sports Fiction