(By Steve Hopkins, photo WTT)
Anders Lind headlined the penultimate day with a 4-3 upset win over World No. 1 Lin Shidong reaching the Semifinals of the WTT Champions Series event in Macao. Shidong had been cruising, winning his previous two matches 3-0. In fact, Shidong led at 1-0 and 2-1 before Lind managed two straight 12-10 wins to take his first lead. Shidong then answered with a dominant 11-2 sixth game to tie the score, but down 4-6 in the final game, Lind was amazing. A big forehand to 5-6 (Lind is lefty so his cross-court loop went to/through Shidong’s backhand). Two great defensive shots and then a surprise flat backhand winner from the center to bring it to 6-6. Another big roll from Lind and then a flat attack off of the counter gives him a 7-6 lead. A couple of tight returns leaves the two trading points, but then a pair of misses by Shidong (one floating long, and then a service return into the net) and its Lind coming from behind in the final game to win six of the final seven points to close out the win.
Lind will face Hugo Calderano in the Semis tomorrow. Calderano topped Patrick Franziska 4-2 on Saturday afternoon to punch his ticket to the Semifinals. In the other half of the draw, it was World No. 2 Wang Chuqin with a 4-0 win over Lin Yun-Ju and Jang Woojin winning 4-2 over Benedikt Duda.
On the Women’s side, Adriana Diaz had a nice run to the Quarters, but fell to World No. 1 Sun Yingsha 4-1. Diaz had a tough draw and still managed to defeat World No. 23 Sofia Polcanova and World No. 5 Wang Yidi before falling to World No. 1. It is all China in the final four slots with Sun Yingsha set to face Kuai Man and Chen Xingtong to face Wang Manyu. Of course, that is World No. 1 versus World No. 4 and World No. 2 versus World No. 3, so being “all-China” is not really a surprise.
More action on tap for Sunday.
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