London: Wang Chuqin claimed two wins as China rallied to beat Romania 3-1 on Wednesday and reached the men’s team quarterfinals at the 2026 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals at the Wembley Arena in London.
China fell behind early when Liang Jingkun lost 11-5, 11-7, 11-6 to Eduard Ionescu, the highest-ranked player in Romania’s lineup.
“I was a bit tight at the start, and he performed better. After he had some excellent shots, my mentality was impacted, and I failed to catch up with him afterwards,” Liang said. “As I don’t have much advantage technically and tactically, I need to go all out against every opponent,” he added.
Wang, the world No. 1, restored parity by beating Iulian Chirita in straight games. He took the first 11-5, then recovered from a 5-1 deficit in the second to level at 8-8 before edging it 12-10. He closed out the match 11-5. “I prepared fully for this match. After trailing in the second game, I managed to turn the tables, which boosted my confidence in the third,” Wang said.
Lin Shidong put China ahead with an 11-9, 11-6, 11-4 win over Ovidiu Ionescu in the third match. The 36-year-old Romanian called two TTR reviews in the second game, but both decisions went against him, reports Xinhua.
“The third match was quite crucial, but I didn’t think too much about it. I was just focused on every point,” Lin said. “I felt that I didn’t truly brace for high-intensity competition in the group stage. Hopefully, I will be more pumped up in the upcoming matches,” he added.
Wang then sealed the tie against Eduard Ionescu. He led 8-2 in the opening game before the Romanian closed to within one point, but Wang held on for an 11-8 win. Ionescu took the second 11-8, but Wang responded to win the next two games 11-3, 11-4. “Eduard is a strong player, and I expected it to be a tough match. Due to Lin’s win in the third match, I felt more relieved on the court,” Wang said.
China will face either South Korea or Austria in the quarterfinals.
In the women’s team round of 16, China dominated Sweden 3-0 without losing a game. Sun Yingsha eased past Swedish chopper Linda Bergstrom 11-3, 11-4, 11-4 in the opening match.
“Linda has shown her characteristics with a defensive style. I hadn’t expected it to be an easy match, and even prepared for losing the first game,” Sun said after the win. “As the tournament now approaches the quarterfinals, the opponents will only get stronger and stronger. The contest will not only be about the skills and tactics, but also about the mentality and the ability to read the game,” she added.
Wang Manyu doubled the lead with a more comfortable win, only conceding eight points in overwhelming Christina Kallberg 11-5, 11-0, 11-3. “I was concentrated on the court, and the atmosphere motivated me a lot,” Wang commented.
Speaking of her perfect second game, Wang said, “I hope to play my best in the knockout stage; it will be conducive to the matches ahead.”
In their first head-to-head, Wang Yidi outplayed Sweden’s Filippa Bergand 11-7, 11-4, 11-4 to secure the win. “I had some unforced errors at the beginning, while taking control of the match after making adjustments after the first game,” Wang noted.
Awaiting them in the quarterfinals will be South Korea, who beat Singapore 3-1.
Elsewhere, Chinese Taipei beat Denmark 3-0, Japan defeated Kazakhstan 3-1, and France sailed past Portugal 3-0 in the men’s team event. In the women’s draw, Hong Kong, China edged Chinese Taipei 3-2, while Japan swept Luxembourg 3-0.
(IANS)
