On the afternoon of January 16th, Beijing time, the 2025 WTT regular challenge match in Masqat continued. The focus of this period was undoubtedly the Sino-Japanese confrontation between Huang Youzheng and Zhang Ben Zhihe. In the first three rounds, Huang Youzheng was behind 1-2. With no way out in the fourth round, Huang Youzheng took the lead with a score of 10-7, but then the new star of the national table tennis team lost key points and was eliminated with a total score of 1-3!
In the previous star challenge match in Doha, Zhang Ben Zhihe swept Danish dark horse Groth 4-0 in the men's singles final to win the first championship of 2025, while the national table tennis players performed poorly and were completely wiped out as early as the 1/8 finals.
This week's regular challenge match in Masqat, the national table tennis team still participated with a second-line lineup. Huang Youzheng and Chen Yuanyu entered the men's singles quarter-finals, which was an improvement compared to the previous one. In the quarter-finals, Chen Yuanyu took the lead, winning three straight games with scores of 11-5, 11-8, and 11-8, and advancing with a total score of 3-0. The national table tennis team at least guaranteed that there would be one person entering the men's singles semi-finals.
Another male singles player from the national table tennis team who entered the quarter-finals was the 20-year-old rising star Huang Youzheng. In the 8-to-4 game of this round, the national table tennis rising star challenged the top seed Zhang Ben Zhihe!
At the beginning of the game, Huang Youzheng and Zhang Ben Zhihe each demonstrated their technical specialties, with the score tightly tied at 8-8. Zhang Ben Zhihe made consecutive mistakes and gave away two points, allowing Huang Youzheng to score two points in a row to take the lead with a score of 10-8 and get the set point first. Zhang Ben Zhihe relied on his backhand twist and Huang Youzheng's mistake to catch up two points to tie the score at 10-10. Zhang Ben Zhihe made a receiving error, and Huang Youzheng got another set point with a score of 11-10. Huang Youzheng also made a mistake by going directly out of bounds when receiving the ball, and Zhang Ben Zhihe saved the set point again to tie the score at 11. Huang Youzheng's forehand and backhand twist went out of bounds continuously, and Zhang Ben Zhihe reversed the situation to win the first set with a score of 13-11.
In the second set, Zhang Ben Zhihe took the lead with a score of 4-1, and Huang Youzheng caught up four points in a row after falling behind 2-5, maintaining a slight lead and winning the set with a score of 11-8.
In the third set, Zhang Ben Zhihe was in high spirits, leading 6-0, and took the lead with a score of 10-4 to get the set point. Although Huang Youzheng saved four set points to catch up to 8-10, Zhang Ben Zhihe still maintained the victory of this set through a timeout. After the timeout, he won the set with a key point in the backhand standoff with a score of 11-8.
In the fourth set, Huang Youzheng, who had no way out, took the lead with a score of 10-7 to get the set point first. Zhang Ben Zhihe scored four points in a row to overtake 11-10. Huang Youzheng saved a match point to catch up to 11 level. Zhang Ben Zhihe scored two points in a row to win 13-11 again, eliminating Huang Youzheng with a total score of 3-1 and advancing to the men's singles semi-finals. Zhang Ben Zhihe raised his arms in celebration after locking in the victory of the whole game with a big reversal in the fourth set! It must be said that in terms of competitive temperament, Zhang Ben Zhihe is far superior to many young national table tennis players. For example, Huang Youzheng, who was somewhat dull in this game, was completely suppressed by Zhang Ben Zhihe in momentum. Once it comes to the key points, both sides are fighting for a breath. The more excited players can often win the final victory.