Qatar Table Tennis Association President Khalil Al Mohannadi hands over the prizes to the winners on the final day of the 2018 ITTF World Tour Platinum Qatar Open held at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena in Doha yesterday. The overall prize money at the
DOHA: Title favourite China’s Fan Zhendong yesterday crushed Brazil’s Hugo Calderano to win the men’s crown at the 2018 ITTF World Tour Platinum Qatar Open.
Top seed Zhendong justified his exalted position to win the Men’s Singles title in straight sets as China claimed all four titles on offer on the closing day of the tournament at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena.
Zhendong beat the 13th seed to seal the title (13-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-7).
“Hugo has a very strong backhand, I had to change the placement of the ball a great deal. In the first two games I was too cautious, too passive; after winning the second game I played in a more positive manner,” Zhendong said after the final.
It was Zhendong’s 10th ITTF World Tour Men’s Singles title in what is now his 15th and final appearance. It was his first title in Qatar.
In 2016 and 2017, he was the runner-up beaten by colleague Ma Long.
Furthermore, when the Men’s World Ranking list is issued for April 2018, for the first time in his career he will head the list.
The first title of the day went to Chen Ke and Wang Manyu, who beat Chen Xingtong and Sun Yingsha with a strong display in the Women’s Doubles final in Doha. Chen Ke and Wang Manyu won 8-11, 11-2, 11-4, 11-4.
“After our loss in Hungary, we changed our tactics, basically the placement of the ball in the first three attacks. In the third game when we were down 1-4 we tried to keep our self-belief and follow the tactics of the previous game.” Chen Ke said after the final.
China also won the Men’s Doubles final after Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin proved too strong for Jun Mizutani and Yuya Oshima.
Zhendong and Xu Xin won 9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 13-11.
“We did not make any changes to our tactics at the end of the fourth game; we just focused on every point. We thought it was crucial to win this game because it could affect our confidence. Also we would have been in a very dangerous situation; who knows what might have happened if there had been a fifth game.” Xu Xin said after the final.
In the women’s singles final, Liu Shiwen beat Wang Manyu after an exciting battle.
Shiwen won 4 - 2 (11-8, 11-10, 11-9, 11-6, 11-5, 11-6.
Runner up at last year’s contest in Doha, Wang Manyu looked on course for a better outcome in the 2018 final, securing the opening two games to claim the early momentum.
But Liu Shiwen, who was required to compete in the two-day qualification tournament ahead of the event, kept a cool head, claiming the next four games in a row to win her 12th Women’s Singles gold medal on the ITTF World Tour and her third in Qatar.
“I have played seven matches in order to win this tournament; I am very happy to win here. I must express my gratitude to Qatar; this is a magnificent venue. I’ll be back next year.” Liu Shiwen said after the final.
