FULL MATCH | LIN Shidong vs FAN Zhendong | MS R32 | #SingaporeSmash 2024

This will be a big test of his credentials as a man looking to defend the title for the third time Van Gendonck. By ranking in terms of who he possibly could have faced as he's the top seed against a non-seed this is the hardest match Van Gendonck could have had at this stage as I see it. Yeah absolutely that's why I say this is such an incredible draw look at this the backhand though so good to watch isn't it it's monstrous it's beastly it's poetry in motion the snap the racket speed I mean look at this it is so dismissive I mean there's hardly any backlift on that look at this he's so unafraid to go half long and long because of what he can do with this shot I mean that's almost an identical backhand there and this time Van Gendonck did manage to get something on it but still not enough what a start this is he's the Chinese national champion he beat Zhou Kai in the final he wasn't the strongest turnout but still he won it defense from Font look at where you've got Van Gendonck who's fighting back here we're only six points in and we're already getting quality to Finn Liu he did a decent job but I mean I mean he wasn't five one up was he he had a very very good game too but this is a Van Gendonck who is aware and wary of the threat on the other side of the net just getting outplayed here and Lin Zhidong is saying okay you're gonna have to come up with something very special I'm gonna keep entertaining your backhand to backhand and Van Gendonck has been held captive yeah this is uh being very tough mind that we talked about Finn Liu there and Van Gendonck won that in three straight games 11-8 11-9 to Finn Liu's credit 11-5 we watched that one yesterday that's for the push there can't make the backhand counter and then Lin Zhidong played we watched him in the world team world championships recently it was 3-1 that one so he did drop a game and it's like the Korean trolls more regard will play all sorts of funny things won't he yeah all sorts of antics on the table former world championship bronze medalist as well don't forget from Budapest 2019 but but this different kettle fish to be up pretty convincingly as well against Van Gendonck in the opening game it's kind of setting a stall out as well isn't it and that's not to say that Van Gendonck can't battle back here of course he can but he's gonna have to treat this like a final because for him to be out in the round of 32 would be a story there's only two points behind yeah he knows it Lin Zhidong he was in a great position there's hardly anything in it now still is with two serves but some clever serving there from Xiaopeng he's pulling off some amazing the backhands as well this is a different sort of shot though oh you could hear the woos the ums and ahs from the crowd there didn't even need a powerful one gorgeous yeah no chance five a couple of very quick points here for Lin Zhidong just to relieve that pressure that was starting to build up up by four here six no he's not done just yet from Zhendong actually showing the ability to play slower balls as well something that Van Gendonck has developed since he broke through the German but Lin Zhidong I mean how complete is this young man four game points and he came back for the first time of asking Lin Zhidong what's going on you don't see that very often do you well thankfully despite losing that point anyway he didn't actually do the toss because if he doesn't do that he's lost it but don't matter anyway it was more about what's going through the mind at the moment for Fan Zhendong completely outplayed in that first game I must add as well when they met just a few weeks ago in Qatar the one that Lin Zhidong ended up winning he won the first game 11-3 in Doha 11-6 here this one in the opening game but make no mistake Fan Zhendong he's got some work to do here real serious work nice flick from Fan Zhendong see if that could be the start of something special for him here look at this Chiquita right round the side basically no top spin and it forces Lin Zhidong into trying a tomahawk chop block nice flare from Lin Zhidong opening up the body going down the line yeah just opening up and wrong footing Fan Zhendong he is just finding these angles these shots well I was asking Adam Bobrow of course our fellow commentator about how excited he was about the new talent coming through this was when sort of Matsushima was playing Felix LeBron yesterday he was absolutely thrilled about it it happens every generation you'd almost be a fool to make a prediction and that's what's made it so miraculous that Ma Long's been able to dominate as he has Fan Zhendong only one world championships away from leveling him and Wang Liqin's record of three world's wins looking at it now with Lin Zhidong you're not so convinced that Wang Liqin could win the same amount as Fan is looking to and Ma Long has well there's also going to be questions of course as there always is an Olympic here who is going to go I doubt to see Lin Zhidong there but in terms of level he could easily be in terms of level not in singles anyway I don't think he's quite ready there but you know don't forget Fan Zhendong he kind of stepped up at the world team championships when they were in serious trouble China and Korea kind of had them on the ropes didn't he and he's just getting absolutely dusted up here I mean just how quick is that Fraser you know you and I we often and you know this more than me because you've been right up close to play some of these guys as well at the in the training halls you don't quite appreciate how quick it is until you're actually there just look at these shots eight game points by the way Lin Zhidong he's had an even bigger win here China like I just said as it stands oh one so you it's it's it's going to be interesting it's I we always have this discussion don't we at every event we're at who are the two who are going to play in the singles for China you know be interesting now if we had a fan vote remember it was 75 percent went for Fan Zhendong 25 for Lin Zhidong I wonder if that if we took that now would you still feel that Fan Zhendong has an opportunity to come back here oh of course you've got an opportunity yeah it's not over exactly he saved match points in the the win over Lin Zhidong in Xinjiang this is his best start to a game thus far Fan Zhendong now can he maintain it because he's got to dig really deep here one three I mean these backhands and and how many of them are happening under the radar without celebration as if it's just another shot yeah there's got to be uh the older senior player the world number one there's a certain amount of deference as well I think you've got to to show the respect is there have you seen Fan Zhendong under this kind of pressure for a long time Fraser we have this uh this year at the end of last season the season end finals men in Doha Wang Chi Chin battered him 4-0 but it was under different circumstances Fan was knackered you could see he wasn't quite right and also that was that's the world number two slightly different as well isn't it and also when you mentioned Zhou Desong who beat him in Doha wasn't he he won the first couple of games as well didn't he Fan Zhendong if I'm not mistaken but here this is uh this is quite special but Fan Zhendong looks a little more comfortable in this game now to his credit you wouldn't know how flustered he's he is probably feeling at the moment Fan and how many times you ever say this when a player is two down somehow bounces up or another way of looking at it when a player is two up we've seen a lot of 2-0 yeah and then 2-1 yeah you can't do that with Fan Zhendong you can't do it against anyone fair point not here anyway at the Singapore smash 7-4 long pass been served went for the big kill of Fan but nothing doing Lin Tuowei with two serves and leveling here in this third this is remarkable couldn't quite make the loop how he wanted to it was a good receive from Fan Zhendong I wonder whether the enormity of what's happening as well is kind of starting to dawn on Lin Shidong well that's one way of dealing with it he knows he's a game away here but I like what you're saying Shehzad you can't afford to think of the repercussions the consequences of the win or loss huge absolutely massive here again just two behind Fan Zhendong in game three in which he has dominated this so far 8-7 he's four points away on disappointing many many people in here and around the world and he's leveled as well they are level he was trailing by four earlier Lin Shidong this is a key moment now in the match Lin Shidong in the front I mean you've commentated the last two editions of this adventures ad the new guard watching on as well he beat Lin Shidong in their last encounter in Lanzhou I'll tell you what though everyone else probably would be rubbing their hands with glee in that half of the draw wouldn't they but looking at that draw it would leave Liang Jingquan as the highest ranked player along with Tomokazu Hadamoto in this quadrant the winner of this match will face the winner of Timo Boll who's playing against Anton Schalbery but Fan Zhendong is just in front he's got a game point gets the net but still had some work to do there Fan Zhendong look how low he gets you so you're about to ask me something just now Fraser who uh I've commentated on oh I'll think about it after I've forgotten what's going on here yeah it's a lot to uh take in at the moment isn't it nervy moments here Fan Zhendong serving to at least pull one back okay he's done it there's a big roar from his fans as well Fan Zhendong 2021 now key moment of course Fan Zhendong has to maintain that level but boy that was a that was a touching go towards the end wasn't it when he went 9-8 up you really wondered yeah three in a row reeled off by the world number one no place please Fan Zhendong has the minerals when they go in get stuff how many times have we said he could have lost but didn't you know you gotta do is go back to that world championship semi-final against Korea he won both of his matches there he was the one who delivered he's one who saved them really again opening the body and misleading front controlled aggression this is a sport that requires so much control so much quick thinking predicting reading variation is the name of the game what confounded to dig himself out of bother tried a long ball serve but Lin Shidong eats it up for breakfast it's got a 50% win rate against Chinese players by the way Lin Shidong and Fan Zhendong has a 66% win rate against Chinese players if Lin Shidong can get over the barrier of beating players around his rank that are similar age to him Lin Shidong beating Fan Zhendong Lin Shidong yeah compared to yesterday's big big story there's not a massive difference between the two upsets in terms of wow impact and wow yeah in terms of this event it has because fans never even lost this event since its launch but he's not lost in Singapore period 17 matches played in Singapore because he won the finals as well correct that's why he's the lion king well he was but he's losing to the lion cub should elevate him to the prince now I feel I mean Lin Shidong is that kind of player well those banners might soon be a little redundant here at Singapore smash keep him in the boot yeah this is huge oh he must heart must be beating faster and faster Lin Shidong he's nearly there just look how the body's so still should I say the head is so still it's just so stable he's about to cause a serious splash here at the Singapore smash Lin Shidong on the verge of the best win in context of his life three nine the top player here as soon as he went a couple points that's when you then have the chance as in if Fan Zhendong puts in a little run now well of course I mean yeah school of obvious but the more you can do three in a row three in a row now Fan just playing slow he's not going for anything too big is he because he knows Lin Shidong is keen to finish this off so Fan saying okay will you snatch that would be something hugely impressive let's see that's now four in a row well it was what eight two and all of a sudden six nine keep that graph going and Fan Zhendong would level well this is concerning for Lin Shidong will he perform the great escape here Fan Zhendong oh the net doesn't bother Lin Shidong it gives him more time we have now got four match points here huge moment for Lin Shidong table tennis fans and a Singapore smash 2024 oh what a way to win it Lin Shidong has defeated the world number one the two-time champion here at Singapore smash and in style