Day 4 of the WTT Champions Incheon picked up right where it left off—with high-level action, tight battles, and a few standout performances. After the round of 16 kicked off yesterday, today the remaining players fought for a spot in the quarterfinals. Here's what happened during the morning session:
Wang Yidi vs Qian Tianyi – 3:2 (11:9, 9:11, 11:3, 6:11, 15:13)
Despite being the higher-ranked player, Wang Yidi came into this match with a 1:3 head-to-head record against Qian Tianyi. Their last encounter at WTT Champions Montpellier even ended in a clear 3:0 win for Qian. So it was clear from the start that this would be a close and intense Chinese battle. And that’s exactly what it was. It took extra points in the fifth game for Wang Yidi to finally seal the win and book her ticket to the quarterfinals.
Lee Sang Su vs Anders Lind – 3:1 (4:11, 12:10, 11:6, 11:4)
It was their first-ever meeting, and Anders Lind came out of the gate strong with a dominant first game. But Lee Sang Su quickly found his rhythm, turned the match around, and took the next three games with increasing control. He now advances to the quarterfinals, where he’ll face Lin Gaoyuan.
Hina Hayata vs Zhu Yuling – 2:3 (11:9, 12:14, 9:11, 11:9, 8:11)
Before today, these two had only played twice—and that was way back in 2017. Zhu Yuling won both of those matches, and maybe that past experience gave her a little extra confidence in this nail-biting five-game battle. Every game was close, but in the end, Zhu managed to edge it in the decider and continues her impressive comeback on the world stage.
Patrick Franziska vs Finn Luu – 3:0 (12:10, 11:9, 11:6)
A clear favorite on paper, Franziska lived up to expectations. Still, the first two games were tight and required his full focus. The German, who recently extended his contract with Champions League winner Saarbrücken, showed his class and composure to move on to the next round. Finn Luu, who plays in Germany's third division, can still take a lot from this experience.
Britt Eerland vs Miwa Harimoto – 0:3 (13:15, 9:11, 6:11)
This was their first-ever match-up, and Miwa Harimoto came in as the heavy favorite—fresh off reaching world no. 5 and celebrating her 100th WTT win yesterday, all at just 16 years old. Eerland pushed her hard in the first two games, but Miwa stayed composed and pulled away in the third to secure her spot in the quarterfinals.
Dimitrij Ovtcharov vs Lin Gaoyuan – 1:3 (7:11, 10:12, 14:12, 3:11)
Ovtcharov had only beaten Lin once, way back in 2017, while Lin had won their last five meetings. And today, he made it six. Lin took the first two games, and although Ovtcharov fought back to take the third in extra points, Lin responded with a dominant fourth to close it out. With the top three Chinese stars (Wang Chuqin, Lin Shidong, Liang Jingkun) not present, Lin is definitely one to watch for the title.
Match Results – First Session of Day 4 (Round of 16)
Wang Yidi (#3) def. Qian Tianyi (#12) – 3:2 (11:9, 9:11, 11:3, 6:11, 15:13)
Lee Sang Su (#45) def. Anders Lind (#32) – 3:1 (4:11, 12:10, 11:6, 11:4)
Zhu Yuling (#37) def. Hina Hayata (#6) – 3:2 (11:9, 12:14, 9:11, 11:9, 8:11)
Patrick Franziska (#8) def. Finn Luu (#37) – 3:0 (12:10, 11:9, 11:6)
Miwa Harimoto (#5) def. Britt Eerland (#47) – 3:0 (13:15, 9:11, 6:11)
Lin Gaoyuan (#10) def. Dimitrij Ovtcharov (#21) – 3:1 (7:11, 10:12, 14:12, 3:11)
Photo Source: WTT