Recaps

After the other players withdrew, Wang Chao cleared his remaining group opponents and faced Zou Zhengyu for the final qualifying match. Zou Zhengyu entered the match knowing it might be the last international appearance of his career, while Yan Ping'an and Fang Xiaobo anxiously watched.

• Antonio withdrew, prompting two more players to leave the group, and the umpire agreed to let Wang Chao play his matches first.
• Wang Chao defeated the Danish veteran in thirty minutes, and the veteran withdrew afterward.
• Mizutori Hato and Uncle Bai urged the umpire to send Zou Zhengyu out to face Wang Chao, and Zou Zhengyu asked Wang Chao not to go easy on him.
• As Zou Zhengyu prepared to serve, he reflected on his fading career and his plan to retire at thirty after one final year of competition.
• Zou Zhengyu saw Yan Ping'an and Fang Xiaobo watching tensely, hoping Wang Chao would lose so their friend's career would not end that day.

Wang Chao exploited Zou Zhengyu’s forehand weakness and retreating style to defeat him 4:0 in an internal match. Zou Zhengyu fought through the final game and embraced Wang Chao afterward, leaving the players to suspect that the match had been his last before retirement.

• Wang Chao targeted Zou Zhengyu’s forehand and repeatedly opened space on the opposite side, taking the first game 11:2.
• Wang Chao continued to exploit Zou Zhengyu’s backhand obsession and retreating position, winning the next games 11:3 and 11:5.
• Yan Ping'an urged Zou Zhengyu to retire if he could not beat Wang Chao, but Zou Zhengyu returned to the court to finish the match.
• Wang Chao defeated Zou Zhengyu 4:0, with Zou Zhengyu scoring more points in each game as he kept fighting.
• Zou Zhengyu shook hands with Wang Chao and embraced him, while Bayer asked Xiao Fei whether Zou Zhengyu was going to retire.

The qualifying groups concluded, revealing several advancing players and exposing Liang Kunpeng’s growing doubts about his game. After the draw paired the thirty-two survivors for a knockout round to decide entry to the main draw, players trained late into the night while Wang Chao slept soundly.

• Wang Chao beat the young Kimchi Country player 4:0, securing first place in Group 13.
• Lu Feiyang beat Gao Mingyuan in a deciding game despite Gao holding two match points, then received a harsh reprimand from Zhu Zeshi.
• Morad swept Chinese player Sun Zhongwen 4:0, and Zhang Benkuang narrowly beat Sissifield 4:3 to advance as group leader.
• Qiu Shang finished tied with Fretas at five wins and one loss, but advanced by winning their head-to-head match, while Liang Kunpeng finished outside the top three and reconsidered his tactics.
• The organizers drew sixteen knockout pairings for the next morning, and many players returned to practice; Lu Feiyang trained with Zhu Zeshi while Wang Chao went to sleep.

The Hong Kong Open qualifiers ended, and the main draw began with Wang Chao facing Mizutori Hato. The chapter left them at the start of their match, with both players determined to win for their own reasons.

• Morad threw his paddle at Zhang Benkuang, received a red card and warning, then came back from 1-2 down to win 4-2 and eliminate him.
• The qualifiers ended, and the draw placed Mizutori Hato against Wang Chao in the first round of the main draw.
• Morad's performance against Zhang Benkuang convinced spectators that he might be Old Wa's direct disciple, making his upcoming match against Weng Chunting a major talking point.
• The main draw began with commentary and livestreams, and Wang Chao versus Mizutori Hato drew most of the audience's attention.
• Wang Chao recalled Mizutori Hato's insults toward Luo Jiu and resolved to take him on, while Mizutori Hato entered the match determined to win so he could return home without fear of his haters.
• The referee tossed the coin, and Wang Chao and Mizutori Hato began their match.

Wang Chao faced Mizutori Hato in a Hong Kong Open match, revealing his improved power and over-the-table skill as he took the first two points. The chapter left Wang Chao leading 2:0 after Mizutori Hato fought desperately to save a spectacular rally.

• Mizutori Hato served long to Wang Chao's forehand, and Wang Chao answered with a powerful loop to win the opening point.
• Mizutori Hato and Wang Chao traded seven short balls before Mizutori Hato changed the rally with a flick.
• Wang Chao countered with a high-speed backhand flick into Mizutori Hato's wide backhand angle, then struck toward the forehand.
• Mizutori Hato chased the ball down and returned it with a desperate side-chop, but Wang Chao looped the next shot wide.
• Mizutori Hato threw his racket at Wang Chao's final shot but could not return it onto the table, leaving Wang Chao ahead 2:0.

Wang Chao used his short game and powerful attacks to take a 3:0 lead over Mizutori Hato, breaking through Hato’s signature Super Cut. Hato answered with a violent flick and won a mid-to-long-distance rally, narrowing the score to 3:2.

• Wang Chao and Mizutori Hato exchanged short balls until Hato lifted one to bait Wang Chao into a flick.
• Hato countered Wang Chao’s flick with his signature Super Cut, but Wang Chao attacked and moved him from side to side to win the point and lead 3:0.
• Mizutori Hato unleashed a violent flick against Wang Chao’s short serve and scored, making it 3:1.
• Mizutori Hato used a deceptive long serve to start a mid-to-long-distance rally, and he won after six consecutive exchanges to make the score 3:2.

Wang Chao defeated Mizutori Hato 4:1 at the Hong Kong Open, revealing the strength of He Jingping’s tactical system. Mizutori Hato left the match realizing that Wang Chao might join the list of top Chinese players he had to avoid, leaving him unsure where he could compete.

• Wang Chao repeatedly neutralized Mizutori Hato’s serves and attacks, building a 6:2 lead as Mizutori Hato struggled to keep up with their rapid exchanges.
• Wang Chao eliminated Mizutori Hato 4:1, taking the fifth set 11:1 after Mizutori Hato won the fourth amid a desperate counterattack and several lucky points.
• Mizutori Hato swore to win an Open championship to erase the humiliation of his defeat.
• Mizutori Hato reconsidered Wang Chao’s prospects after recalling that Xiao Fei and Lin Li had named him as a terrifying opponent and realizing the Chinese coaching staff might be backing him to win titles.
• Mizutori Hato feared that avoiding Wang Chao, Luo Jiu, and Sun Tianlong would leave him with few tournaments to enter, and wondered whether he should play in European club leagues instead.

Wang Chao watched the first-round matches as the upper and lower halves produced both expected wins and major upsets. Morad eliminated Hong Kong star Weng Chunting, then celebrated so wildly that he disrupted He Junjie's match at the neighboring table.

• Xiao Fei, Yan Ping'an, Bayer, Lin Zijun, Wang Chao, Zhu Shixian, and Michel advanced from their groups, while Lu Feiyang narrowly beat Li Zhengzhi in a deciding game.
• Zhu Zeshi reprimanded Lu Feiyang for playing in a confused way after his difficult win, and Wang Chao passed by without listening.
• Wang Chao watched Hook defeat Qiu Shang 4–1 and concluded that Qiu Shang struggled against powerful one-shot attacks.
• Morad upset Weng Chunting, provoking a loud reaction from the Hong Kong crowd.
• Morad celebrated by kicking apart eight barriers, startling He Junjie and causing him to lose a point in his own match.

Morad was allowed to continue after apologizing for his outburst, and the Hong Kong Open’s round of sixteen produced a wave of upsets. Yan Ping'an defeated Xiao Fei, Fang Xiaobo beat Lin Li, and K. Michel eliminated Lu Feiyang, leaving Wang Chao increasingly worried about the state of Chinese table tennis.

• Officials withdrew Morad’s suspension after Weng Chunting forgave him, though they required him to apologize publicly and pay a fine.
• The first-round results set the round-of-sixteen matchups, including Morad against He Junjie and Hook against Pike.
• Yan Ping'an played with desperate intensity and defeated Xiao Fei 4–2, advancing to the quarterfinals.
• Fang Xiaobo defeated Lin Li 4–2, and the upset unsettled Wang Chao.
• K. Michel beat Lu Feiyang 4–2, prompting Wang Chao to realize that something was seriously wrong.

Wang Chao defeated Zhu Shixian 4:0 by attacking through his backspin, proving that his offense had surpassed the chopper’s defenses. After the morning matches, Wang Chao and He Jingping were pulled into Cai Guodong’s smoke-filled room, where the Chinese table tennis leaders had gathered.

• Wang Chao set aside his concerns about the Chinese team’s losses and focused on facing Zhu Shixian.
• Wang Chao used heavy loops and a powerful backhand flick to break through Zhu Shixian’s chopping defense and win the points decisively.
• Zhu Shixian lost 0:4 to Wang Chao, then went to find Li Zhengzhi.
• Wang Chao left the arena with He Jingping after the morning matches ended.
• Cai Guodong’s colleagues pulled Wang Chao and He Jingping into a smoke-filled room where the team leaders were gathered.

Wang Chao refused Cai Guodong’s attempt to push him into using underhanded tactics, then agreed to take responsibility for holding the line in exchange for a guaranteed World Cup singles slot. The draw results eased the team’s immediate fears when Pike swept Hook, though Wang Chao’s path remained uncertain.

• Qin Huachang held Wang Chao in the smoke-filled room while Cai Guodong and the other officials discussed the team’s poor position in the Hong Kong Open.
• Cai Guodong urged Wang Chao to use the deceptive style he had played with last year, but Wang Chao insisted he would compete openly and honorably.
• Cai Guodong offered Wang Chao a singles slot in this year’s World Cup if he agreed to hold the line, and Wang Chao accepted.
• Cai Guodong received the results: Bayer defeated Lin Zijun 4-3, Pike swept Hook 4-0, and Morad eliminated He Junjie.
• The officials learned that Hook had played disastrously against Pike, committing errors in both attack and defense.

Wang Chao learned that Hook had been eliminated and prepared to face Bayer in the quarterfinals while the coaches debated strategy. As Wang Chao’s match began amid Europe’s hopes of a championship, he studied Bayer’s strengths and wondered how to play against him.

• Wang Chao recognized that accepting responsibility had earned him the coaches’ trust and goodwill, then learned the quarterfinal matchups, including his own match against Bayer.
• Mizutori Hato publicly accused the Chinese coaching staff of using inhumane training methods, and his coach warned that he had further damaged his career prospects.
• Mizutori Hato blamed reporters for provoking his remarks and decided he would rather lose to Sun Tianlong than face Luo Jiu or Wang Chao.
• Yan Ping'an lost 1:4 to Michel, and Fang Xiaobo lost 2:4 to Wolf, eliminating the remaining Chinese veterans.
• Morad faced Pike as Wang Chao began his quarterfinal match against Bayer, while European players and coaches gathered to support Bayer.
• Wang Chao recognized Bayer as a polished, formidable opponent and was still considering his strategy as the referee prepared to start play.

Wang Chao chose to face Bayer head-on rather than use evasive tactics, while Bayer opened with a carefully prepared attack that won the first point. He Jingping recognized that Wang Chao was still trying to counterattack and would keep pressing forward, leaving the match set for a fierce clash.

• The coaching staff disagreed with He Jingping about how Wang Chao should play and left the decision to Wang Chao.
• Bayer won the coin toss and served first, while fans around the world anticipated the match.
• Wang Chao flicked Bayer's reverse-spin serve, signaling that he intended to challenge Bayer directly.
• Bayer anticipated the flick and counter-looped wide to Wang Chao's backhand after European coaches and players had pooled their research on Wang Chao.
• Wang Chao switched the racket from his left hand to his right and returned the ball, but Bayer attacked repeatedly and won the point, making the score 1:0.
• He Jingping explained to Qin Huachang that Wang Chao had been pressing toward the table to prepare a counterattack and remained committed to going head-to-head with Bayer.

Wang Chao took an early lead in his semifinal against Bayer, but Bayer anticipated his attack and drew him into a long-distance power rally to win the next two points. As the European coaches celebrated their strategy, He Jingping refused Cai Guodong’s request to intervene, leaving the match at 2:0 for Bayer.

• Bayer served to Wang Chao’s middle, and Wang Chao attacked with a backhand twist before launching a series of powerful shots that put Bayer under pressure.
• When Wang Chao stepped back to smash a slightly high return, Bayer retreated early and countered with a heavy forehand drive loop.
• Wang Chao backed away and traded loops with Bayer, then made an error five shots later, leaving Bayer ahead 2:0.
• European players and coaches applauded Bayer’s tactics, while the Chinese coaching staff grew tense.
• Cai Guodong asked He Jingping whether to call a timeout, but He Jingping refused to let him interfere with his coaching.

Wang Chao fell behind Bayer as the coaches debated whether he should change tactics, but He Jingping defended his freedom to play his own way. After Bayer returned a penalty point with a deliberate serve, the two tested each other in short exchanges, and Bayer won the rally by smashing Wang Chao’s weak return.

• Qin Huachang urged He Jingping to make Wang Chao use Sun Tianlong’s tactics against Bayer, but He Jingping argued that Wang Chao should be trusted to choose his own style.
• Bayer extended his lead to 4:0, and Wang Chao closed his eyes before receiving serve; the referee penalized him a point, but Bayer deliberately served into the net to return it, making the score 5:1.
• Wang Chao and Bayer began a series of short exchanges over the table to test whose touch was superior.
• Wang Chao seized a subtle opening with a backhand twist, but Bayer anticipated it and countered with a powerful Forehand Loop.
• Wang Chao stayed close to the table and tried to control Bayer’s attack, but his return became a high ball that Bayer smashed to take the score to 6:1.

Wang Chao used Bayer’s tactical pressure to identify and correct flaws in his game, choosing to develop his own style rather than imitate Sun Tianlong. After losing the first game, he continued adapting, leaving Bayer increasingly troubled as the match went on.

• Qin Huachang and Zhu Zeshi worried that Bayer’s detailed tactics had exposed Wang Chao, while Wang Chao’s short flick earned him a point at 6:3.
• Wang Chao realized Bayer had revealed several flaws in his habits and resolved to use the match as a whetstone to improve his own style.
• Wang Chao lost the first game 11:5, and He Jingping encouraged him without giving tactical instructions.
• Bayer predicted Wang Chao’s flat smash at the start of the next game and countered it for the opening point.
• Wang Chao continued changing his instinctive habits, while Bayer recognized that his opponent was steadily repairing his flaws and becoming harder to read.

Wang Chao overcame Bayer in the Hong Kong Open quarterfinals after falling behind 2:0, using relentless rallies to exhaust his opponent and win 4:2. His victory sent him into the semifinals as a dark horse and prompted Cai Guodong to promise him a chance to compete for a place among Chinese table tennis's core players.

• Bayer narrowly won the second set, but Wang Chao stayed cheerful and began the third set with varied attacks.
• Wang Chao took control of the third set as Bayer's stamina faded, then won it 11:5 after scoring six consecutive points.
• Wang Chao defeated Bayer 4:2 and advanced to the Hong Kong Open semifinals, while Pike eliminated Morad 4:1 in the other quarterfinal.
• Cai Guodong praised Wang Chao in a televised interview and said he could enter the core roster if he won the Open.

After Bayer’s loss, the Europeans’ alliance weakened as England focused on Pike’s semifinal against Wolf. Wang Chao practiced with Lu Feiyang and reassured him before the men’s singles semifinals began.

• Rohlskov gathered European coaches and players to discuss their chances against Wang Chao, but Persson and Michel arrived with little confidence after Bayer’s defeat.
• England’s head coach skipped the meeting to train Pike for his semifinal against Wolf, exposing a rift between England and Germany.
• Chinese coaches accused Wang Chao of deliberately tiring Bayer out, though Wang Chao insisted he had simply played an honest match.
• Wang Chao found Lu Feiyang distracted and learned Zhu Zeshi had ordered him into intensive training after his recent losses.
• Wang Chao promised to support Lu Feiyang and practiced attacking exchanges with him until the men’s singles semifinals began.

Pike defeated Wolf 4:1 in a hard-fought semifinal, strengthening England’s claim to a place among Europe’s top table tennis nations. After a ten-minute break, Wang Chao and Swedish player K. Michel entered the court, with Michel looking ready to fight.

• Pike dominated the first two games as Wolf struggled to contain his powerful attacks.
• Wolf changed tactics and jerseys, using his unusual submarine serve to win the third game 11:9.
• Pike adapted to Wolf’s serves and won the match 4:1 after thirty-five minutes.
• England fans celebrated Pike’s victory and declared that he could challenge Bayer and help change the balance of world table tennis.
• Wang Chao and K. Michel stepped onto the court, and Michel appeared determined to fight for his life.

Wang Chao exploited Michel’s height and weaknesses to take the first two points with deceptive serves. Having gained the heart of a king after his comeback against Bayer, Wang Chao entered the match ready to use every strategy, and Michel faced a newly sharpened opponent.

• The chapter described Germany’s depth and Sweden’s reliance on Michel, who hoped to defeat Wang Chao and become a national and European hero.
• Wang Chao opened with a spinless short serve that Michel pushed long, then scored again with a fast topspin serve to Michel’s forehand.
• Michel grew frustrated that Wang Chao’s serves thwarted his plan to fight desperately and make the match a heroic loss.
• Wang Chao reflected on how his comeback against Bayer had helped him cast off self-imposed restrictions and gain the heart of a king.
• Wang Chao decided to use tactical variation against Michel rather than risk a needless head-on contest.

Wang Chao dominated Michel 4:0, leaving Michel convinced that his playing style had reached a dead end. After the match, Michel called Old Wa to revisit advice he had rejected three years earlier: changing his forehand rubber to short pips.

• Wang Chao countered Michel’s powerful loops with effortless, varied returns and took a 3:0 lead, convincing Persson that Michel could not win.
• Michel fought desperately, but Wang Chao won the match 4:0 in thirty minutes and left the court thinking about Pike.
• Michel, exhausted and hurt by how little he had challenged Wang Chao, asked Persson for privacy and called Old Wa.
• Michel recalled rejecting Old Wa’s advice three years earlier to change his forehand rubber to short pips, then reflected on his stalled career and weak forehand control.

Michel recognized that his forehand looping style was holding him back and accepted Old Wa’s offer to retrain him with short pips and a new tactical system. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Open final began with Pike under intense pressure to win against Wang Chao.

• After reflecting on his match against Wang Chao, Michel realized Old Wa had correctly identified his forehand’s weaknesses three years earlier.
• Michel asked Old Wa for guidance, and Old Wa invited him to visit and explained that he would train him to use short pips for fast attacks.
• Michel considered how unconventional equipment and rubber changes had helped Luo Jiu, Old Wa, and Morad, and questioned his own rigid ideas about table tennis.
• As the Hong Kong Open final approached, European fans and coaches feared the consequences of Wang Chao winning after the coaches had helped him improve.
• Pike arrived with flaming red hair, visibly tense, and shook hands with Wang Chao before the final began.

Wang Chao faced Pike in the final and lost the opening point to Pike’s unusual, powerful backhand technique. The Chinese coaching staff trusted Wang Chao’s judgment, though the chapter left the match still underway at 1:0.

• Wang Chao lost the coin toss, and Pike opened with a serve to Wang Chao’s backhand corner.
• Wang Chao twisted the return toward Pike’s forehand, but Pike anticipated the direction and countered with his distinctive forward-contact backhand twist.
• Pike sustained the attack with a heavy counterloop, forced Wang Chao to retreat, then sent a fast angled return that made Wang Chao sprint to save the ball.
• Wang Chao flicked Pike’s next shot back near the net, but Pike moved around the table and flicked into the opposite wide angle to win the point, making the score 1:0.
• The Chinese coaching staff reflected on their earlier misjudgment of Wang Chao and chose to trust his strategy after He Jingping reported that Wang Chao knew how to play.

Wang Chao and Pike battled through a close first game, each using his strengths to seize points while struggling to contain the other's attacks. Wang Chao won the game 12:10, leaving their tightly matched contest unresolved.

• Wang Chao fooled Pike with repeated returns and a deceptive short serve, taking a 2:1 lead.
• Wang Chao repeatedly targeted Pike's weak forehand and extended his lead to 3:1.
• Pike used heavy sidespin serves and his powerful backhand to bring the score back to 3:3.
• Wang Chao and Pike traded points as neither could consistently impose his strategy, and Wang Chao took the first game 12:10.

Wang Chao defeated Pike 4:3 in the Hong Kong Open final after patiently weathering Pike’s aggressive play and letting his opponent’s stamina and confidence run out. He claimed the title and returned to the Chinese team, where Cai Guodong praised him for understanding and executing a patient, rigorous style of play.

• Pike used risky attacks and fortunate points to take the second and third games, then Wang Chao’s varied offense crushed him 11:3 in the fourth.
• Pike rallied to win the fifth game 11:9 and took a 3:2 lead, leaving him one game from the title.
• Wang Chao kept the sixth game close until Pike faded after 6:6, then won 11:6 to force a deciding game.
• Wang Chao overwhelmed Pike 11:1 in the final game but gave him one point, then won the match 4:3.
• Wang Chao shook hands with Pike and returned to the Chinese team, where Cai Guodong patted him on the shoulder and praised him.