Yes but it isn't fun to see a match where one player can't return the other's serve like he usually does. The balance of XX definitely played a role and hopefully they will get a chance to do this again in Australia.
Generally, ML hasn't been as clinically sharp in the last couple of Pro Tours, certainly not close to his WTTC Budapest and China Open form. But then, no one can maintain their peak for months on end (not even ML who stated in a translated interview he doesn't know what his peak is.)
Despite ML's dominating record against everyone, the margins between these guys isn't as great as it seems sometimes. Small things/points here and there can make all the difference, which to me makes ML's dominance even more amazing.
Regarding the table, I also noticed that ML couldn't/didn't keep his serve receives as tight and several of XX's loops dipped below ML's racket indicative of a fast, skidding table. But XX played on the same table and his RPB was the significant differentiator in this match. We will never know, but even if ML had kept his serve receives tighter, the RBP was enough today to swing the match XX's way.
