Dang Qiu has secured his place in the history books as the first European player to reach the final of the prestigious WTT Champions series. The European champion triumphed over Taiwan's surprise contender Kao Cheng-Jui in an intense semifinal match at the WTT Champions Macao, winning 8:11, 14:12, 12:10, 11:6, 6:11, 11:3. This victory propels him into Sunday’s final, where he will face either World No. 1 Wang Chuqin or U19 World Champion Lin Shidong, both from China.
A Battle of Grit and Nerve
Despite entering the match as the World No. 13 and a favorite on paper, Qiu knew the challenge Kao Cheng-Jui posed. The 19-year-old Taiwanese player had already eliminated top-tier talents such as Olympic silver medalist Truls Möregardh and World No. 7 Lin Gaoyuan. Moreover, Kao had previously defeated Qiu in the semifinals of the WTT Contender Lima in 2022.
The semifinal began with Kao launching an aggressive, explosive start, leaving Qiu struggling to find his rhythm in the first set. Kao’s speed and power left little room for error, but Qiu managed to adapt, slowly finding his angles and timing against his nimble opponent.
I knew how tough it would be against Kao today. He's very consistent, incredibly fast, and in fantastic form," Qiu said. "The first set didn’t go my way, but I stayed focused and fought my way back.
Turning the Tide
Qiu’s resilience shone through in the second and third sets, where he had to summon not only his tactical intelligence but also his nerve. After trailing 0-1 in sets, Qiu found himself in a tight battle, edging out Kao 14-12 in the second set after saving two critical set points. The third set followed a similar pattern, with Qiu capitalizing on a rare service error from Kao at 10-10, allowing the German to clinch the set and take a 2-1 lead.
From there, Qiu’s confidence grew, as he used strategic changes in pace and placement to stifle Kao’s aggressive shots. Despite losing the fifth set, Qiu came out strong in the sixth, dominating the Taiwanese with an 11-3 win to secure his place in the final.
I’m very happy to be in the final," Qiu said. "I didn’t come to Macao with high expectations, but this tournament has been amazing for me.
Looking Ahead to the Final
Qiu’s path to the final has been nothing short of impressive, having previously defeated World No. 4 Liang Jingkun, Mattias Falck, and Lim Jonghoon. As the final looms, the European champion remains focused and ready for his next challenge.
With European table tennis fans rallying behind him, Dang Qiu now stands on the brink of history, with the chance to become the first European to claim gold in the WTT Champions series.
The final is set for Sunday at 14:00, where Qiu will face either Wang Chuqin or Lin Shidong, both formidable opponents. Whatever the outcome, Qiu has already made a statement in Macao.
Source: DTTB