Lin Shidong and Kuai Man win mixed doubles title at WTT Europe Smash

Lin Shidong and Kuai Man beat Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin in straight-games at the WTT Europe Smash on Friday to claim a fourth consecutive title together at Slam events. 

China's Lin and Kuai got off to a strong start. But their South Korean opponents once reduced the deficit to just one point in the first game. The top-ranked duo beat Lim and Shin in the final at last month's United States Smash in Las Vegas.

Lim and Shin came away with bronze in Paris last summer, but couldn't find that Olympic medal winning form here and they went on to lose the opener 11-8. Lin and Kuai continued to push and took the second game 11-6. 

The third frame is a similar story. Lin and Kuai won it 11-4 and clinched the mixed doubles title. It is also the first victory for China at this year's Europe Smash.

"We prepared well this time, in terms of studying our opponents' strategies or evaluating their abilities. So I think we did a thorough preparation this time," said Lin. 

Before the win in the mixed doubles final, Lin was in singles action and he's now on for a treble of titles in Sweden after sweeping aside Dang Qiu to reach the singles semifinals. 

Later on Saturday he will also contest the men's doubles final with partner Huang Youzheng against Wong Chun Ting and Chan Baldwin, but against Germany's Qiu he wasted no time in winning the opener 11-3. 

The 20-year-old was the only Chinese player left on the men's side and he had made to work hard in the second. He eventually came back from 8-6 down to wrap it up 11-8. The top seed didn't look back after that and stormed into a 5-0 lead in the third, sealing it 11-3. 

Qiu tried his best to come back in the fourth and won five points in a row to get to game point. But Lin saved two game points and came out on top 12-10 to wrap up a 4-0 win. Lin will next face France's Simon Gauzy later on Saturday for a place in the final. 

On the women's side, Wang Manyu reached the semifinals after beating Honoka Hashimoto 4-2 to also ensure that the remaining players left in the draw are all Chinese.

Wang got off to a slow start in the opener, but she was able to bounce back and eventually went one game to the good with a 12-10 win. Hashimoto fought back in the second and took it 11-7, before Wang won the third 11-7. But Japan's Hashimoto leveled the match again by winning the fourth 11-8. 

Wang showed brilliant mental toughness to win the next two frames 11-7 and 11-9 for a 4-2 victory overall. She will face compatriot Shi Xunyao in the semifinals.

While Chen Yi got past Germany's Sabine Winter 15-13, 11-7, 15-13, 11-13, 11-6 to book her place in the semifinals.

In the women's doubles, top seeds Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu beat Ryu Hanna and Kim Na-young in straight games to reach the final.

Sun and Wang launched a series of attacks in the first game and brought up game point following a tightly contested rally before taking it 11-3. Ryu and Kim became more aggressive in the second and got off to the better start. 

But Sun and Wang withstood the early storm and jumped out to a 5-3 lead and went on to win the frame 11-7. The top seeds kept it going in the third and soon took 4-0 lead. The top seeds then wrapped it up 11-8 to reach the final in straight games. Japanese duo Miwa Harimoto and Satsuki Odo await for the title.