World Team Table Tennis Championships: Hong Kong’s women narrowly avoid Romania upset to keep medal hopes alive
- City’s men’s squad, who last won a medal 14 years ago, sweep aside Egypt 3-0 on Wednesday to reach quarter-finals
- But world No 3 women go to a dramatic decider against Romania, with Zhu Chengzhu winning in five games to save the day
Hong Kong’s men moved one step closer to a long-awaited medal after easing past Egypt 3-0 in the last 16 of the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Chengdu on Wednesday – but it was another story for the women, who needed a dramatic decider to seal their place in the quarter-finals.
Having blown a 2-0 lead, the women’s squad eventually beat Romania 3-2, with world No 93 Zhu Chengzhu doing everything in her power to save the team from suffering a huge upset.
The 25-year-old Zhu beat No 37 Elizabeta Samara 6-11, 13-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-9 in the fifth match to keep the team’s medal hopes alive.
Having finished third at the 2018 Worlds, Hong Kong’s women will meet Germany in the last eight in China, after the latter defeated Puerto Rico 3-1. Hong Kong triumphed by the same scoreline against Germany to win their Olympic bronze in Tokyo.
With no bronze medal matches in Chengdu, the teams who progress to the semi-finals will all be assured of a medal.
The world No 3 women’s team did not expect such a thrilling tie against Romania, especially after Zhu and Olympic team bronze medallist Doo Hoi-kem won the first two matches for Hong Kong.