Fan Zhendong is men’s singles champion!!!

Doing what his fellow countryman couldn’t earlier in the day, China’s Fan Zhendong has beaten Liam Pitchford 4-2 (11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-7) to claim the Qatar Open men’s singles crown for the second time.

Featuring a number of highlight reel worthy rallies, game five proved an exciting watch for spectators as Pitchford reduced the game deficit to one. However, the Englishman can’t hold out any longer as Fan wins the match on a fortunate edge shot. Congratulations to Fan who collects his 14th men’s singles title on the ITTF World Tour. Huge credit to Pitchford who has delighted fans across the world with his incredible journey in Doha.

Englishman fight back but still on back foot

Pitchford is enjoying the most fortune when taking the game to Fan, troubling the top seed with his pace and the rise in tempo pays off as the Englishman claims game three 11-8. However, Fan isn’t having any of it, using his incredible power to respond immediately 11-4 to move two games in front yet again. Fan needs just one more game, Pitch needs three!

Tough task at hand for Pitchford

One of the standout performers in Doha in the lead up to the final but Liam Pitchford is struggling to assert himself against top seed Fan Zhendong who has been very much the aggressor so far and now holds a two-game lead (11-9, 11-7). Can Pitch begin to turn up the pressure on his Chinese counterpart?

Get hyped!!!

The final fixture of the day sees China’s Fan Zhendong and England’s Liam Pitchford meet face-to-face for the men’s singles title – are you ready?!

Third crown for Chen

Chen Meng is the 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum Qatar Open women’s singles champion after successfully coming out on top against Mima Ito by a 4-1 score-line at the final hurdle (3-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7).

Another strong display from Chen in game four sees her edge ever closer to the title, pilling the pressure on her third seeded opponent. Ito opts for a time out call but to no avail as Chen races into a 10-6 lead. The Japanese teenager saves one championship point but can’t manage another as Chen claims women’s singles glory for the third time in Doha.

Impressive response

Following the close of game one, questions would have been asked whether Chen can make a positive response and the answer is yes!

A minor break in play to deal with a slippery surface, Chen is the more composed of the finalists in game two claiming an 11-7 win. In game three Ito manages to save a game point but can’t prevent her opponent any longer as Chen takes it 11-9 to move ahead in the final for the first time.

Ito makes explosive start

What a start from Mima Ito here in the women’s singles title decider! Her pace is proving too hot to handle for two-time Qatar Open champion Chen Meng with game one being decided by a dominant 11-3 margin.

Remember Ito heads into the tie off the back of her gold medal success at last month’s Hungarian Open and appears to have received a huge confidence boost here in Doha.

And we’re back

Following the short break in play it’s now time for the women’s singles final as World no.1 Chen Meng faces off against Japanese teenager superstar Mima Ito.

It’s the final for Pitchford!

Following on the story of Qatar – Liam Pitchford’s dream run takes him to the final of the men’s singles event after beating World no.1 Xu Xin in the semi-final!

The Englishman has been immaculate in his movement around the table, handling anything the Chinese threw at him. Winning 4-2 (3-11, 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 15-13, 11-9), Pitchford will now face another Chinese opponent in the final later today – Fan Zhendong.

Pitchford takes the lead, but not for long

Liam Pitchford took a 2-1 lead against Xu Xin after he won the third game 11-9 but it was a short-lived celebration after Xu came back ferociously to win the fourth game 11-6.

Level-pegging again, are we set for a seven-game decider coming up?

Pitchford keeps it even

It’s semi-final number two time as Xu Xin faces off against Liam Pitchford, who has been the story of the Qatar Open so far.

Xu has taken the first game 11-3 but Pitchford has levelled with the second 11-7. How far will this Chinese-English duel go?

Game, comeback and final for Fan

Fan really knows how to spin things around, doesn’t he? Winning four games on the bounce, China’s Fan Zhendong makes the final of the 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum Qatar Open, after beating compatriot Wang Chuqin 4-2 (7-11, 8-11, 11-6, 14-12, 11-7, 11-9).

It was a magnificent comeback by Fan, after being 0-2 down against a very powerful and speedy opponent in Wang. Who will join him later today in the final?

Fans takes one, and then another

Fan Zhendong is trying his very best to summon his top form as he wins the third game 11-6. However, it seems like his teenage opponent Wang Chuqin has no plans on letting him comeback into the game, as he pushes back to win the fourth game.

And yet, Fan doesn’t give up. Down 8-10, the former World no.1 responds to win the fourth game 14-12 and level the scores in the match to 2-2 overall. This epic is only just starting!

Wang opens big, Fan down by two

Good morning from Doha as the final day of action kicks off with the first semi-final in the men’s singles category between Wang Chuqin and Fan Zhendong.

The two Chinese athletes have made strong opening statements with their shots but only Wang has managed to win the games – he now leads the World no.2 by 2-0 (11-7, 11-8). What will Fan conjure up?

Who gets the gold?