Adriana Diaz vs Tsai Yun-En | Match Highlights | #ITTFWorlds2025

Some really aggressive attacking play from Sayanen, but she just couldn't live with the power of Diaz defending really well there. Probably the big lights are maybe a little bit more daunting for her than they are for Diaz. Looking at their big backhand-to-backhand rallies. As I predicted, I could see that they were going to play a lot of open rallies. My game plan onto them. This is great stuff so far from the world number 339. Matching her opponent point-to-point, point-for-point rather. She won't be too worried at this stage, but on here, Diaz is back at the table. We know that she likes to stay there sometimes. She's very comfortable back there and very good. She's just looking at her rubbers there going, oh, what happened there? Because that's usually a very comfortable shot for her. That was so impressive. Strong position. Eleven points to seven. It's a fantastic start for her. And in the best of seven, of course, you do have the luxury of being able to go a game down in the beginning, but certainly you don't want to make a habit of it, do you? Yeah, definitely. She's looking to go out wide. And that was an unbelievable shot, counterloop by Tanya in there. She's just stayed that little bit closer. Diaz just took a step back in there. She'd taken a step away from the table and then she took a step back in looking to kind of block that ball. But I don't think she predicted the bounce of it. Where does Diaz want to be there? Because we saw her there again, back far behind the table where you say she's comfortable. Is that where she's going to get most of her points? Eleven points to seven. Diaz takes the second game by the same scoreline with which Sayunen took the first. Two really great points in a row for Diaz. And how important is it for her to establish herself? There we go. Another one. Another backhand. You give it to her there and the ball pops up and she's going to... There was no way that one was coming back, was there? Seven game points. But she only needed the one. Adriana Diaz takes the lead. Blows for Sayunen. And what an opening rally that was to this game. A couple of backhand punches there from Diaz, but Sayunen just took the pace off them and brought them back. Brilliant rally. Battle of the backhands. Goes the way of Sayunen and a confidence boosting point for her, Maria. It'll be interesting to see if any more of those come out. What a rally. Unbelievable. Both of them just going at it. And I think that a little bit of luck there, fortune for Sayunen there. Eleven points to eight. And Adriana Diaz makes it three games on the bounce. Let's head down to the field of play then to join Adam Bobrow. Get you out of your shell a little bit, especially when things aren't going your way. That's two blocks from the backhand that Diaz has missed just then. Another long rally. Went the way of Sayunen there. Quite surprising, Diaz, normally very comfortable from that position playing that open play. Oh my God. Oh, that was phenomenal. That was phenomenal. That was really good from Sayunen. She was out of position there wide forehand and she came back and played. Sayunen thriving under the pressure in a must win game. I think they do say in table tennis they are some of the most crucial points straight after a timeout. There we go, Sayunen, it's worked in her favour for that point. She's come out again. Point lead back intact. Yeah, and Diaz just using that backhand punch once again, I think. That's Sayunen long and Adriana Diaz wraps up a captivating encounter to seal her place in the round of 32. But that was a really, really exciting match for the neutral. Both players pushing each other to their very best and I've seen those backhand to backhand rallies. That was really quite special.