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Singapore, March 13 (Ians) China’s Qian Tianyi shocked world No. 5 Mima Ito of Japan through full sets, while reigning champion Chen Meng failed to reach the women’s singles last 16 at the World Table Tennis (Wtt) Singapore Smash here on Monday.

Qian, who is ranked 22nd in the world, saved two match points en route to a 12-10 win in the deciding set, reports news agency Xinhua.

“I kept my tenacity in the game. Whether I led or trailed, I just stayed composed,” Qian explained.

Qian will take on French veteran Yuan Jianan, who eliminated another Chinese paddler Fan Siqi 3-1.

Another full-set match went the other way for Olympic champion Chen, who lost the deciding set 11-8 to Elizabeta Samara of Romania. China’s Wang Yidi was also out of contention after falling 3-2 to Miu Hirano of Japan.

Also on Monday, Zhang Rui dispatched Georgina Pota of Hungary...

Doha (Qatar), Jan. Jan 22 (Ians) Brazil’s Hugo Calderano won his second men’s singles title in as many weeks even as China came out the biggest winner at the World Table Tennis (Wtt) Contender Doha with four titles.

After winning the titles in the women’s singles, women’s doubles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles on Saturday, the Chinese team repeated what it had achieved one week ago in Durban, South Africa.

In an all-Chinese women’s singles final, Fan Siqi came out on top with a full-set victory over Zhang Rui.

Fan recovered from two sets down to edge past Zhang 6-11, 5-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-9, 7-11, 11-5.

“I had made full preparation for any difficulty before this match. In a best-of-seven match, everything is possible before the last point. So I just kept calm and fought for every point,” said Fan.

Zhang got a bit of...

The 27-year-old overcame her Korean rival 11-6, 11-9, 4-11, 5-11, 11-7 in 41 minutes to set up a last-four clash with World No. 24 Zhang Rui of China.

Manika started on a rosy note against Choi, winning the first two games but lost the next two before lifting her game by a few notches to win the fifth and deciding game and seal a last-four spot.

Earlier, Zhang defeated Yi Chen of China 3-2 to make it to the semifinals.

The other semifinal will be an all-China affair with World No. 18 Siqi Fan taking on World No. 30 Lui Weishan.

Siqi got the better of Cheng I-Ching 3-1, while Lui overcame Tianyi Qian 3-0.

On Thursday night, mixed-doubles top seeds Manika and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran bowed out of the title contention after losing 1-3 to the Korean duo of Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin in the semifinal.

In the other semifinal, Chinese pair of...

Johannesburg, Jan 16 (Ians) Chinese paddlers clinched four titles at the World Table Tennis (Wtt) Contender Durban which concluded in South Africa with a superb finale.

China’s Qian Tianyi broke open a 1-1 tie after two sets to get past her compatriot Fan Siqi 4-1 to be crowned the women’s singles champion.

Three doubles events of the tournament featured all-Chinese finals. Zhang Rui and Kuai Man beat Qian and Shi Xunyao 3-1 in the women’s doubles final, while Chen Yuanyu and Lin Shidong defeated Xu Yingbin and Xu Haidong 3-1 in the men’s doubles title contention.

Lin and Kuai emerged victorious 3-1 over Xue Fei and Qian in the mixed doubles final on Saturday, reports news agency Xinhua.

World No. 7 Hugo Calderano of Brazil swept Yaroslav Zhmudenko of Ukraine 4-0 in the men’s singles final.

Chinese paddlers will head to Doha, Qatar for the Wtt Contender Doha.