Recaps

The Men's Singles draw placed Wang Chao in section seven, where he would likely face Bai Feng on the way to the quarterfinals. The qualifiers began, and a high-stakes Mixed Doubles matchup between Ichikawa Mima and Niuwa Xiaoxi and the Kim Bong–Kim Jong pair emerged without a livestream.

• The rankings showed Wang Chao in thirteenth place, while Lin Zijun rose to eighth and Xiao Fei returned to second.
• The seeded Men's Singles draw placed Wang Chao in section seven alongside Bai Feng, whose eagerness to face him reflected their rivalry and Olympic singles competition.
• The completed main draw placed Fan Xiaodong in the lower half with Wang Chao, while Lu Feiyang and Liang Kunpeng advanced through the Men's Singles qualifiers.
• Ichikawa Mima and Niuwa Xiaoxi drew Kim Bong and Kim Jong in the Mixed Doubles qualifiers, where only one pair from their group could advance.

Wang Chao studied the footage of Ichikawa Mima and Niuwa Xiaoxi’s match and said he could beat them, while mixed doubles upsets reshaped the tournament and sparked a worldwide rethink of the event’s tactics. The chapter ended with Cai Guodong calling Qin Huachang for advice after Daehan Minguk’s Japanese penhold-and-chopper pairing defeated Taiwan Island 4:0.

• Wang Chao watched the footage of Ichikawa Mima and Niuwa Xiaoxi’s match with He Jingping, Tang Yuanyuan, and Ge Miao, then said he could beat them by playing normally.
• Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan, Ichikawa Mima and Niuwa Xiaoxi, and Sissifield and Solga advanced easily in mixed doubles.
• Zhang Benkuang and Hayata Hannah defeated Weng Chunting and Ai Qin 4:0, demonstrating their new attacking and supporting roles.
• Xian Youwen and Che Songxin defeated Lin Zijun and Zhen Jing 4:0, with Xian Youwen attacking and Che Songxin chopping defensively.
• Coaches worldwide began considering Japanese penhold single-ply blade players and choppers for mixed doubles after watching Daehan Minguk’s pairing.
• Cai Guodong asked He Jingping about mixed doubles tactics, then called Qin Huachang for advice.

Wang Chao shifted his focus entirely to his own matches at the German Open and swept his first-round Men's Singles opponent. He prepared for two difficult matches the next day: a mixed doubles quarterfinal with Tang Yuanyuan and a Men's Singles clash with Bai Feng.

• Wang Chao told He Jingping he would concentrate on his own competition, and Tang Yuanyuan happily continued to follow him around.
• He Jingping told Wang Chao about several notable upsets, including Liang Kunpeng defeating Sissifield and Arul eliminating Qiu Shang again.
• Wang Chao swept his Spanish opponent 4–0 in twenty-five minutes, then learned Bai Feng had also won 4–0 and was in excellent form.
• Wang Chao recognized that he would have to beat Bai Feng to reach the quarterfinals and Lin Li to reach the semifinals, with both veterans likely to fight hard against him.
• Wang Chao trained mixed doubles with Tang Yuanyuan and then practiced singles alone, preparing for their quarterfinal against Ichikawa Mima and Niuwa Xiaoxi and his round-of-sixteen match against Bai Feng.

Hou Xijia drew a huge audience as he analyzed the Germany Open mixed doubles quarterfinal between Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan and Sakura Country’s Ichikawa Mima and Niuwa Xiaoxi. He revealed that the opposing pair had formidable special skills, then predicted the Tang Dynasty Combination would win by only a 60–40 margin just as the match began.

• Hou Xijia discovered viewers had flocked to his livestream for professional analysis of the mixed doubles quarterfinal.
• He explained how the Tang Dynasty Combination’s success had reshaped mixed doubles strategy and described Ichikawa Mima’s decision to leave Mizutori Hato for a partner with a distinctive specialty.
• Hou Xijia revealed that Niuwa Xiaoxi was known as the Zen Chopper Little Prince for his exceptional side-chops and casual style of play.
• He disclosed that Niuwa Xiaoxi also had Microscopic Precision talent, making him and Ichikawa Mima a double Microscopic Precision pairing.
• Wang Chao won the serve, Ichikawa Mima chose to receive against him, and the match began as Hou Xijia predicted a 60–40 victory for the Tang Dynasty Combination.

Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan faced Ichikawa Mima and Niuwa Xiaoxi, whose unusual side cut won the Sakura Country pair the opening point. Wang Chao then used a high-toss serve to deceive Ichikawa Mima and tie the score at 1:1.

• Wang Chao's deceptive Reverse Spin serve was read by Ichikawa Mima, who flicked the ball to Tang Yuanyuan's backhand baseline.
• Tang Yuanyuan returned with a backhand topspin that gave Niuwa Xiaoxi a chance to attack.
• Niuwa Xiaoxi stayed close to the table and used a difficult side cut to send the ball sharply off the side of Wang Chao's table, putting the Sakura Country pair ahead 1:0.
• Hou Xijia explained the difficulty and risk of Niuwa Xiaoxi's side cut, while He Jingping predicted that Wang Chao was about to get serious.
• Wang Chao served a high-toss ball that Ichikawa Mima misread, and the Tang Dynasty Combination tied the score at 1:1.

As Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan took control of their mixed-doubles match against Ichikawa Mima and Niuwa Xiaoxi, legendary coach Qin Huachang began livestreaming commentary and predicted nearly every point. By the Sakura Country pair’s timeout, the Tang Dynasty Combination led 6:2, and Qin’s uncanny predictions had stunned viewers.

• Wang Chao’s deceptive serve fooled Ichikawa Mima, undermining her confidence that she could handle his serves.
• Hou Xijia lost viewers after his commentary faltered, then discovered that Qin Huachang had launched a livestream with a prominent homepage promotion.
• Qin Huachang analyzed the doubles match, explaining how Tang Yuanyuan’s retreat and Wang Chao’s counterattacks limited Niuwa Xiaoxi’s options.
• Qin Huachang began predicting the points before they happened, and the Tang Dynasty Combination extended its lead to 6:2.
• The Sakura Country pair called a timeout after Qin Huachang correctly predicted nearly every development, apart from Niuwa Xiaoxi’s remarkable side-cut.

Qin Huachang analyzed Niuwa Xiaoxi’s limited but exceptional Side Cut and explained how Ichikawa Mima’s serves could set it up against Wang Chao. The second game began with the Tang Dynasty Combination taking the first point, before Niuwa tied the score at 1:1 with a sharp Side Cut.

• Qin Huachang praised Niuwa Xiaoxi’s touch but criticized his lack of other skills and ambition, then discussed Ichikawa Mima’s strengths as a doubles partner.
• The Tang Dynasty Combination won the first game 11:4, disappointing Sakura Country fans, who hoped their players would recover in the second game.
• Ichikawa Mima opened the second game with a baseline Bullet Serve, and Wang Chao attacked Niuwa Xiaoxi, whose Side Cut attempt went off his racket for a 1:0 lead.
• Ichikawa served long again, and Wang Chao’s deep forehand loop gave Niuwa the force he needed to return a Side Cut that turned sharply off the table, tying the score at 1:1.
• Wang Chao recognized that Ichikawa was using her serves to limit his attacking quality and give Niuwa a better chance to counter with his Side Cut.

Qin Huachang explained the tactical rotations as Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan dominated Ichikawa Mima and Niuwa Xiaoxi in mixed doubles. The Tang Dynasty Combination won 4:0, and Wang Chao later saw a popular post comparing Ichikawa’s tireless movement with Niuwa’s reluctance to move.

• Qin Huachang explained that Wang Chao understood Niuwa Xiaoxi’s side cut but kept attacking rather than changing his style.
• Ichikawa Mima exploited Tang Yuanyuan’s cautious return to score twice during Wang Chao’s difficult serving rotation, giving the Sakura Country pair a 3:1 lead.
• Wang Chao attacked Niuwa Xiaoxi’s transition balls, and the Tang Dynasty Combination equalized at 3:3 before Tang Yuanyuan’s serves helped them lead 6:3.
• The Tang Dynasty Combination repeated their advantage in the remaining games and crushed the Sakura Country pair 4:0 in half an hour.
• Niuwa Xiaoxi produced seven iconic side cuts despite the loss, and a European forum post became popular for contrasting Ichikawa Mima’s constant running with Niuwa’s minimal movement.
• Wang Chao read the post and recalled his earlier doubles pairings with Wu Li and Tang Yuanyuan.

Wang Chao prepared intensely for his men’s singles match against Bai Feng, while commentators warned that Bai Feng was a formidable opponent fighting to keep his place on the Chinese Table Tennis main lineup. The chapter ended as Wang Chao and Bai Feng faced each other on court for what Old Qin called Wang Chao’s first true test of the German Open.

• After Tang Yuanyuan dismissed Bai Feng as an easy opponent, Coach Ge Miao reprimanded her, and she realized Wang Chao’s match might be difficult.
• Wang Chao practiced with Weng Chunting and Sun Zhongwen, while Weng Chunting defeated Wolf 4–1 to reach the men’s singles quarterfinals.
• Bayer, Hook, and Lin Zijun also advanced to the quarterfinals, and Wang Chao took the court against Bai Feng.
• Wang Chao recalled Luo Jiu’s report that Wang Lu had written thirteen pages of notes about him and given them to Bai Feng.
• Old Qin argued that fans underestimated Chinese players and explained why Bai Feng’s experience and desperation made him a serious threat.
• Wang Chao and Bai Feng shook hands before their match as Old Qin declared it Wang Chao’s first true test of the tournament.

Bai Feng began his match against Wang Chao with Wang Lu's advice: study possible responses, then forget the plans so Wang Chao could not predict him. Qin Huachang analyzed the coaches' contrasting styles on livestream, but admitted that Wang Chao's ability to read people made the match difficult to forecast.

• Bai Feng won the serve toss and prepared to serve while recalling Wang Lu's warning not to plan his opening shot in advance.
• Wang Lu had given Bai Feng thirteen pages of possible openings against Wang Chao, then told him to learn them and forget their rules before playing.
• Bai Feng remembered Wang Chao's past victories and his own struggles to keep his place in China's Olympic Men's Singles selection.
• Qin Huachang explained on livestream why internal matches were hard for coaches to prepare for and predicted that Wang Lu might have Bai Feng use defensive counterattacks.
• Qin Huachang decided to call Wang Chao the "Nine-headed Bird" and worried that Bai Feng might be overwhelmed in the match.

Bai Feng surprised Wang Chao with an aggressive long serve and followed it with a short backspin serve, disrupting Wang Chao’s predictions. Wang Chao took risks to attack, but Bai Feng countered with powerful loops and led 2:0.

• Bai Feng opened with a fast long serve to Wang Chao’s forehand, then exploited Wang Chao’s late response to win the point and take a 1:0 lead.
• Bai Feng served short backspin on the next point, confusing Wang Chao and prompting him to return the ball short.
• Wang Chao lunged forward to flick Bai Feng’s short return, and Bai Feng retreated before counterattacking with a powerful forehand loop.
• Bai Feng followed with a Penhold Backhand Loop that forced Wang Chao into a high return, then finished the rally with another forehand loop to lead 2:0.

Wang Chao and Bai Feng traded early points in a match that baffled even China’s top table tennis coaches. Wang Chao’s aggressive tactics and a long rally brought him back to 2:2, while the coaches began to suspect Bai Feng had a problem receiving serves.

• After Bai Feng took the first point with a Sneak Long Serve, Wang Chao’s Sneak Long Serve forced him to push the ball back, and Wang Chao won the ensuing rally with a series of attacks to make it 1:1.
• Qin Huachang, He Jingping, and Sun Tianlong struggled to explain the opening points, while Wang Lu recognized that Bai Feng had waited to react to Wang Chao’s serve instead of predicting it.
• Wang Chao served long to Bai Feng’s forehand, and Bai Feng attacked; both players anticipated each other’s replies and settled into a prolonged exchange.
• After seventeen shots, Wang Chao sent a sidespin backhand that Bai Feng failed to reach, leveling the score at 2:2.

Wang Chao and Bai Feng traded points in a power-focused rally as Qin Huachang watched for the strategy behind their play. Qin Huachang concluded that Wang Lu had told Bai Feng to rely on instinct rather than predict Wang Chao, leaving Wang Chao without a pattern to read.

• Bai Feng won a long rally with a thirteenth-shot loop and took a 3:2 lead over Wang Chao.
• Bai Feng served a Sneak Long Serve, but Wang Chao attacked with a fast forehand topspin and tied the score at 3:3.
• Qin Huachang realized that Wang Chao's faster loop had troubled Bai Feng more than his spin-heavy loop and announced that he had understood the match.
• Qin Huachang explained that Bai Feng was playing by instinct and treating Wang Chao as an unfamiliar opponent, a tactic Wang Lu had devised to thwart prediction.
• Qin Huachang said Bai Feng's serves had seemed strategically unusual because he relied on instinct and had happened upon effective placements.

Wang Chao overcame Bai Feng’s early advantage by abandoning his prior analysis and studying Bai Feng anew, then defeated him 4:0 to advance to the German Open semifinals. After Qin Huachang ended his livestream, Wang Chao hurried to rest before his quarterfinal against Lin Li.

• Wang Chao won consecutive points against Bai Feng, turning a 3:1 deficit into a 5:3 lead as Qin Huachang explained his decision to discard his earlier assumptions and analyze Bai Feng as a new opponent.
• Wang Chao used changing serves and attacks to probe Bai Feng’s habits, then extended his lead to 7:3 by anticipating Bai Feng’s forehand serve and defeating his power with a precise shot.
• Qin Huachang predicted Wang Chao’s next point correctly and announced that Wang Chao had the match won.
• Wang Chao defeated Bai Feng 4:0 and advanced to the semifinals after a match in which he gradually read Bai Feng’s instinctive patterns.
• Qin Huachang ended his livestream, and Wang Chao left the venue to rest before facing Lin Li in the quarterfinals.

Wang Chao prepared for his Men's Singles quarterfinal while the tournament's other contenders fought for semifinal places. Before Wang Chao faced Lin Li, Sun Tianlong revealed his plan for Lin Li, while He Jingping admitted Wang Chao had chosen to prepare on his own.

• Sun Tianlong coached Fan Xiaodong as Fan defeated Pike, drawing attention to rumors that Sun Tianlong was moving into coaching.
• Hook defeated Bayer 4–2, while Lin Zijun swept Weng Chunting 4–0 in a twenty-minute match.
• Wang Chao entered the arena to face Lin Li as Qin Huachang anxiously avoided watching the match.
• He Jingping asked Sun Tianlong how Lin Li planned to play, and Sun Tianlong said he had advised Lin Li to play recklessly by feel in the first game, inspired by Bai Feng.
• He Jingping told Sun Tianlong that Wang Chao had declined his help because he had his own ideas for playing Lin Li.

Lin Li played Wang Chao by instinct on Sun Tianlong’s advice, but Wang Chao predicted his choices and exploited his weaknesses to take the lead. He Jingping and Sun Tianlong realized Wang Chao had read Sun Tianlong’s coaching strategy, leaving Lin Li in trouble despite his powerful attacks.

• Wang Chao predicted Lin Li’s short backspin serve and scored with a fierce flick, then anticipated Lin Li’s hook Reverse Spin and attacked with a forehand blast.
• Lin Li overcame Wang Chao’s attack with powerful, subtly varied loops and broke through Wang Chao’s defense to tie the score at 1:1.
• Wang Chao drew Lin Li into eight short-table exchanges, forced a high push, and scored with a fierce flick to lead 2:1.
• He Jingping told Sun Tianlong that Wang Chao had predicted Lin Li’s serves by reading Sun Tianlong’s decision to copy an instinct-based strategy.
• He Jingping and Sun Tianlong recognized that Lin Li’s speed was his key weakness and that Wang Chao had steered the match toward short-table play to exploit it.

Wang Chao used precise serves and varied returns to suppress Lin Li, while Lin Li adapted through trial and error and found chances to attack. Wang Chao ultimately swept Lin Li 4:0, leaving the table tennis world calling him a rising contender for the throne of Chinese table tennis.

• Wang Chao targeted Lin Li with a fast, low backhand twist and a wide placement to take a 3:1 lead.
• Lin Li anticipated Wang Chao’s short return and scored with a powerful over-the-table flick, then tried a heavy backhand loop that caught the net as Wang Chao moved ahead 4:2.
• Sun Tianlong explained to He Jingping that he had told Lin Li to change tactics when his original approach failed, leaving Lin Li to choose new techniques for himself.
• Lin Li tried taps, fast carries, flicks, and twists to provoke Wang Chao into looping, but Wang Chao kept chopping and refused to start a topspin rally.
• Wang Chao’s steady play carried him through the match as he swept Lin Li 4:0 in thirty minutes.

Cai Guodong remained uncertain whether Wang Chao’s 4–0 victories proved he was stronger than Bai Feng and Lin Li, and planned to judge him after the major tournaments. Sun Tianlong deliberately let Fan Xiaodong face Mizutori Hato without coaching, reflecting on how his own experience under Qin Huachang had led him to favor independent growth; he stayed in the stands after Wang Chao’s match, leaving He Jingping eager to speak with Wang Chao.

• Cai Guodong told Wang Wendong that he would wait two months and watch Wang Chao at the World Cup and World Table Tennis Championships before judging his Olympic prospects.
• Wang Lu reassured Bai Feng that they could challenge Wang Chao in a direct contest of strength, while Sun Tianlong began planning how Lin Li might counter Wang Chao’s attacks.
• Sun Tianlong declined Cheng Aimin’s offer to coach Fan Xiaodong against Mizutori Hato, believing that winning or losing unaided could help Fan Xiaodong develop.
• Sun Tianlong reflected on how Qin Huachang’s detailed coaching had shaped his career and how his own teaching philosophy differed from his former coach’s.
• Sun Tianlong remained in the stands chatting with He Jingping after Wang Chao’s match, while He Jingping waited impatiently to discuss the match with Wang Chao.

Qin Huachang reviewed the previous day's matches and began livestreaming commentary on the mixed doubles semifinal, unaware that translated clips of his earlier analysis had made him famous among international table tennis fans. Foreign viewers flooded into his stream and showered it with rockets as Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan prepared to face Xian Youwen and Che Songxin.

• Sun Tianlong calmly discussed the upcoming Jin Ling–Shen Sha match until He Jingping lost patience and hurried away.
• Qin Huachang watched Fan Xiaodong defeat Mizutori Hato without coaching and reflected that Chinese table tennis continued to function after his retirement.
• Qin Huachang opened his livestream ahead of Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan's mixed doubles semifinal against Xian Youwen and Che Songxin.
• International fans praised Xian Youwen and Che Songxin for their performances against the Taiwan Island Combination and their growing reputations as elite players.
• An England student uploaded Qin Huachang's previous livestream, and fans worldwide translated and circulated it for its expert mixed doubles analysis.
• Foreign fans found Qin Huachang's livestream on the Silver Ball Dance Forum and sent him rockets to show their excitement.

Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan faced Xian Youwen and Che Songxin, whose decision to have Che receive Wang Chao’s serves let the Tang Dynasty Combination exploit mismatches in style and experience. The Tang Dynasty Combination took the first two points, while Qin Huachang predicted that Wang Chao’s varied tactics would keep unsettling Che.

• Wang Chao won the serve and opened with a long serve that Che Songxin chopped back, allowing Tang Yuanyuan to attack and force the Daehan Minguk pair into a losing rally.
• Wang Chao’s distant sideslice troubled Che Songxin, and Tang Yuanyuan smashed her weak return before Wang Chao finished the point against Xian Youwen.
• Qin Huachang explained that Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan played differently from the Taiwan Island Combination and said Che had made a mistake by receiving Wang Chao’s serves.
• Foreign streamers sent more than thirty rockets after Qin Huachang asked them to pay one rocket per question.
• Wang Chao served short, Tang Yuanyuan placed a flick wide to Xian Youwen’s backhand, and Wang attacked Xian’s weak push with a heavy-spin backhand twist.
• Che Songxin misread the twist’s sidespin and spin, giving Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan a 2–0 lead.

Tang Yuanyuan and Wang Chao exploited Che Songxin’s serves after Wang Chao had imitated her during special training, leaving the Daehan Minguk pair unable to score. The Tang Dynasty Combination led 4:0 as Che Songxin realized Tang Yuanyuan had learned to read her serving motions.

• Che Songxin served a short, spinless high-toss ball, but Tang Yuanyuan attacked it and Wang Chao helped the Tang Dynasty Combination win the rally for a 3:0 lead.
• Qin Huachang explained that Wang Chao had imitated Che Songxin during Tang Yuanyuan’s serve-receiving practice the previous day.
• Che Songxin tried a deceptive hook serve with left-side backspin, but Tang Yuanyuan recognized it and pushed the ball to the baseline.
• Che Songxin realized Tang Yuanyuan had learned her serving patterns, while Qin Huachang noted that the Daehan Minguk pair’s main scoring strategy had been neutralized.
• The Tang Dynasty Combination extended its lead to 4:0, and Qin Huachang said the open strategy left the Daehan Minguk pair with no way to avoid losing.

Qin Huachang predicted the Tang Dynasty Combination’s easy win over the Daehan Minguk pair, then debated whether explaining his tactical insights would help foreign teams. After speaking with Cai Guodong, he chose to publicly call the Japanese penhold single-ply blade and chopper pairing a version trap, leaving coaches around the world questioning their plans.

• Qin Huachang predicted the Tang Dynasty Combination would take four points easily, and Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan built an 8:0 lead with decisive attacks.
• Cai Guodong called Qin Huachang and urged him to keep explaining matches to promote table tennis, while Qin worried that detailed analysis would help rival teams.
• Cai Guodong told Qin Huachang that growing the sport mattered more than preserving China’s theoretical advantage, but Qin said he needed time to consider it.
• The Tang Dynasty Combination won the first game 11:1, leaving Xian Youwen and Che Songxin unable to mount a fight.
• Qin Huachang announced that the Japanese penhold single-ply blade and chopper combination was a version trap, and foreign streamers relayed his warning to coaches worldwide.

Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan swept Che Songxin and Xian Youwen 4:0, exposing the Daehan Minguk pair’s weakness in short-ball play. Wang Chao left to rest before facing Fan Xiaodong, but noticed Lin Zijun calmly watching from the stands with his eyes closed.

• Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan controlled the short-ball exchanges and targeted Xian Youwen’s backhand, while Tang Yuanyuan opened the scoring with a heavy forehand loop.
• Che Songxin and Xian Youwen realized their pairing’s weaknesses had been exposed as Wang Chao dominated Che Songxin’s role in creating and neutralizing attacking chances.
• Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan swept the Daehan Minguk pair 4:0 in the German Open mixed doubles semifinal.
• The table tennis world discussed Wang Chao’s dominance and his chances of winning both mixed doubles and Men’s Singles at the Open.
• Wang Chao left to rest before his Men’s Singles semifinal against Fan Xiaodong and noticed Lin Zijun sitting in the stands with his eyes closed.

Zhang Benkuang and Hayata Hannah advanced to the mixed doubles final after defeating Kazik and Lilith, while Qin Huachang’s livestream drew a surge of international viewers desperate to learn from his coaching. As Lin Zijun prepared to face Hook, Rohlskov pretended to dismiss Qin’s lessons but secretly asked his assistant to find translated recordings.

• Zhang Benkuang and Hayata Hannah defeated Kazik and Lilith 4–0, and the Beautiful Country pair celebrated their unexpected semifinal finish.
• Qin Huachang praised Lin Zijun before lamenting that he had to face Hook again.
• Guo Yukun worried as foreign viewers flooded Silver Ball Dance’s servers to watch Qin Huachang’s livestream.
• European fans flocked to Qin Huachang’s coaching after Wang Chao’s victories in mixed doubles deepened their fears that Chinese table tennis was unbeatable.
• Rohlskov claimed he would not watch Qin Huachang’s lessons, then told his assistant to send him any recording with translated subtitles.

Qin Huachang predicted that Hook would beat Lin Zijun, and his analysis sent Hook’s betting odds soaring. Lin Zijun stunned the crowd by taking the first point with an extraordinary series of counter-blocks, leaving Qin Huachang wondering whether he had undergone hyper-evolution.

• Qin Huachang explained Hook’s determination to improve and predicted that Lin Zijun’s poor mixed-doubles results would hurt his confidence.
• Qin Huachang’s livestream analysis spread worldwide, and bettors heavily favored Hook.
• Lin Zijun won the coin toss and opened with a Sneak Long Serve to Hook’s forehand, contrary to Qin Huachang’s prediction.
• Hook unleashed a powerful forehand loop, but Lin Zijun repeatedly blocked and redirected his attacks at extreme speed.
• Lin Zijun’s final counter-push sent the ball wide, giving him a 1:0 lead and leaving Qin Huachang to wonder if he had undergone hyper-evolution.