My best match of the Chinese Super League 2023 first round

[Tony's Table Tennis]

So Next Level had his women's "super" team and I called mine.
Basically it was last year's 1st and 2nd place team and this year I felt the 2nd place team would beat last year 1st place team in CTTSL 2023 round 1.
I mean, if you had world number 1 and 2, why couldn't you win?

Had to wait till the last match (round robin, last day) to see them take on each other and wow, it was an exciting one that lasted nearly 4.5 hours (avg nearly 1 hour per match)
No men's match was so closely contested, so this was my favorite match from the 89 matches played in the 1st round.

NL's team - Shandong Luneng. Team roster:
Wang Manyu
Chen Xingtong
Qian Tianyi

My team - Shenzhen University. Team roster:
Sun Yingsha
Chen Ming
Kuai Man

Chen and Qian being a lefty/righty combo was perfect in doubles. But had wins and losses and close games (under performed imo, as they are good enough to win straights every time, especially against weaker opponents, so I called it risky)
This allowed Wang (the best player) to play 2 singles. Chen and Qian to play 1 single each, and these 2 are no means easy opponents when playing singles.

Kuai was the doubles player and paired with both Sun and Chen in the earlier matches. However, I predicted they will pair Kuai with Chen and allow Sun to play 2 singles.
It was indeed the case.
Sun acted as the team coach (since she loves to coach - video here) while Luneng has they proper coach with them.

The rest (if you guys have time), please do watch the match below:

Match 1, Qian/Chen vs Kuai/Chen

Match 2, Wang Mangyu vs Sun Yingsha

Match 3, Chen Xingtong vs Chen Meng

Match 4, Wang Manyu vs Kuai Man

Match 5, Qian Tianyi vs Sun Yingsha

 

[NextLevel]

The original super team is Shandon Weiqao on the men's side. How they allowed Liang Jingkun, Wang Chuqin, Zhao Qihao and Yu Ziyang to be on one team together still boggles the mind. Thanks would like that team, 2 first team players, one borderline first team player and probably the best lefty not on the first team. That said, Shanghai, which @Takkyu_wa_inochi liked more, almost beat them, but Fan Zhendong lost to Zhao Qihao in a match that could have decided since Weiqao lost the doubles. So even super teams are beatable.

For me, both the women's teams are super teams, and while I agree that Shenzen having WR #1 and #2 on the same team is a bit much, Shandong having WR# 4, 5 and 6 on the same team for me didn't make it as unfair as what Weiqao had on the men's side (no other team can match the insanity of Weiqao). I guess what I was saying that two over powered teams is fairer than one lol!

It was a great match. Never thought the lefties would win the matches they did. It will be interesting to see what changes if anything between now and the finals at the end of the year.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

The original super team is Shandon Weiqao on the men's side. How they allowed Liang Jingkun, Wang Chuqin, Zhao Qihao and Yu Ziyang to be on one team together still boggles the mind. Thanks would like that team, 2 first team players, one borderline first team player and probably the best lefty not on the first team. That said, Shanghai, which @Takkyu_wa_inochi liked more, almost beat them, but Fan Zhendong lost to Zhao Qihao in a match that could have decided since Weiqao lost the doubles. So even super teams are beatable.

For me, both the women's teams are super teams, and while I agree that Shenzen having WR #1 and #2 on the same team is a bit much, Shandong having WR# 4, 5 and 6 on the same team for me didn't make it as unfair as what Weiqao had on the men's side (no other team can match the insanity of Weiqao). I guess what I was saying that two over powered teams is fairer than one lol!

It was a great match. Never thought the lefties would win the matches they did. It will be interesting to see what changes if anything between now and the finals at the end of the year.

Yeah,
If I was Yu, I wouldn't want to stay there as a bench warmer.
He could easily be in another team and guaranteed a spot to play

 

[mnt]

Kuai Man did exceptional job beating Wang Manyu.
I like her, cute little chubby girl

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Kuai Man did exceptional job beating Wang Manyu.
I like her, cute little chubby girl

wasn't an easy win, loved her strategy to play the ball so early against Wang.
She knew if she was to play further back from the table, she has no chance.

New found respect for her, but I still don't think she will be in the 1st tier crop of players. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe she is also a late boomer (for Chinese women's standards)
For the rest of the world, 19 years old, she is going getting started lol