Chinese paddlers bring home titles from WTT Champions Frankfurt

Lin Shidong and Wang Manyu of China won the men's and the women's singles titles respectively at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Champions Frankfurt in Frankfurt, Germany, on Sunday.

Lin defeated Anton Kellberg of Sweden 11-5, 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8 in the final. The Chinese No. 2 seed's sharp services and quick attacks earned him the first two games quickly, but Kellberg showed great resilience from the third. He saved two game points to cut his deficit to one at 10-9 in the third game. Though he conceded that one in the end, Kellberg took the fourth game by outperforming the opponent in the tug of war.

Lin found his way to overcome the opponent's tactics by improving his services in the fifth game. The four straight points he scored in the middle of the game became key to his final victory.

The women's singles final was between two Chinese players, top seed Wang Manyu who beat No. 2 Wang Yidi 11-7, 10-12, 11-3, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8. Having wiped her deficit twice in the first four games, Wang Yidi began the fifth with a 6-1 lead thanks to better returning. Nonetheless, Wang Manyu enhanced her services as well and closed in to a one-point gap, 8-7, before bouncing back to take the game.

Wang Yidi trailed from the beginning of the sixth game, but she managed to tie the battle 6-6, forcing the opponent to call a timeout. Wang Manyu came back with a calmer mindset and outlasted her compatriot in the end to lift the trophy.