China Stages Epic Comeback to Enter Final of Asian Team Championships in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: Displaying nerves of steel and trademark resilience, world No. 1 Wang Chuqin led China to a stunning 3–2 comeback win over Japan in the semifinals of the 28th ITTF-ATTU Asian Team Championships at the Athletics Centre, Kalinga Stadium on Monday. The thrilling encounter kept spectators at the edge of their seats as China, down 0–2 at one stage, clawed back to secure a place in the final.

Japan began on a high, with world No. 4 Tomokazu Harimoto upsetting world No. 2 Lin Shidong in a pulsating five-game battle. His teammate Sora Matsushima then edged past Wang in another nail-biting contest, putting Japan 2–0 ahead. However, the defending champions responded with trademark composure — Lin redeemed himself by winning the third rubber, before Wang levelled the tie at 2–2.

The decider between Harimoto and Wang turned into a masterclass in precision, power, and grit. Both traded games fiercely, but Wang’s superior control and ability to handle pressure saw him prevail in the fifth game, sealing China’s dramatic victory and a berth in the final.

Earlier, Matsushima had threatened to swing momentum Japan’s way again, leading world No. 7 Liang Jingkun 10–6 in the decider. But Liang mounted a remarkable comeback, saving multiple match points and capitalizing on Matsushima’s late errors to tilt the match — and the tie — decisively in China’s favour.

In the other semifinal, Hong Kong (China) edged out Chinese Taipei 3–2 in another thriller. Led by strong performances from Wong Chun Ting and Chan Baldwin, Hong Kong held their nerve to enter the final for the first time. Wong crushed Kuo Guan-Hong 11–1, 11–7, 11–2, and Chan sealed the tie with a gritty 3–2 win over Liao Cheng-Ting.

Meanwhile, India’s men’s team finished sixth, ensuring a spot in the Champions Division for the next edition. After edging past DPR Korea 3–2, India went down 0–3 to the Republic of Korea in the classification match. Youngsters Snehit Suravajjula and Payas Jain showed promise despite defeats, while Manav Thakkar lost the opener to Oh Junsung.

The Indian women’s team, however, faced relegation after finishing eighth. Despite spirited efforts from debutant Swastika Ghosh and Diya Chitale, who registered impressive wins against Hong Kong’s NG Wing Lam and Kong Tsz Lam respectively, narrow losses by Yashaswini Ghorpade and Swastika in reverse singles saw India fall short.

Earlier, India had lost 1–3 to DPR Korea, where Kim Kum Yong and Cha Su Yong dominated proceedings. With this result, the women’s side will compete in Division One in the next edition of the continental event.

The finals, set to be held on Tuesday, will see China face Hong Kong (China) in the men’s event, while China and Japan will contest the women’s team final, promising another day of high-octane table tennis action in Bhubaneswar.