Wang Chuqin’s fury at ITTF after suspicious bat damage at World Table Tennis Championships
World No 2 discovers creases and cracks ahead of mixed doubles clash against Brazilian pair Hugo Calderano and Bruna Takahashi
Chinese table tennis star Wang Chuqin was furious with the organisers at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships in Doha after his bat was damaged before a mixed doubles match on Monday.
The world No 2 men’s player and his teammate Sun Yingsha were set to face Brazilian pair Bruna Takahashi and Hugo Calderano in the second round when Wang noticed visible creases and cracks at the top of the rubber.
He and coach Xiao Zhan protested at the state of the bat but they were told it was in good enough condition for the match to go ahead. Wang had to switch to his backup bat.
The Chinese duo still eased to a 3-0 victory, and earned a bye to the quarter-finals after their next opponents, the Romanian pair Ovidiu Ionescu and Elizabeta Samara, withdrew, citing an injury for the latter.
“I have no idea why these things always happen to me,” Wang said. “I felt something was wrong with the sponge the moment I stepped onto the court.
“The sponge opened halfway but it was fine before the test, and it couldn’t be used for the match. I am very disappointed with the organisation and the referees – they couldn’t even inspect the bats properly.”
