The Doha Star Tournament is still in progress with intense competition. In the evening's focus matches, the national table tennis team experienced both joy and concern, with three players advancing and two being eliminated. In the first mixed doubles semi-final, Huang Youzheng/Shi Xunyao defeated one of the championship favorites, Zhao Dacheng and Shin Yubin, with a score of 3:0. Zhao Dacheng and Shin Yubin had previously defeated Xiang Peng and Kuai Man in straight sets in the first round. Huang Youzheng/Shi Xunyao were not favored before the match, but they advanced to the final from the qualifying rounds, making them a dark horse worth looking forward to for national table tennis fans. In another mixed doubles semi-final, Chen Yuanyu/Chen Yi, who were leading 2:1, were eliminated by Japan's Zhang Benmei and Matsushima Kakeru. Zhang Benmei has repeatedly defeated the national table tennis team since last year's Asian Championship and French Championship, and after the New Year, he won against the national table tennis players again, becoming the Japanese player who has won the most against the national table tennis team in this Olympic cycle, posing a significant threat in both singles and doubles. It was indeed a pity that Chen Yuanyu/Chen Yi lost the match. In the first game, the two entered the state slowly and fell behind in the opening stages. Although they fought back later, the gap was too large, and they lost the first set 7:11. However, it could be clearly felt that from the second half of this set, our national table tennis pair began to…

On January 8, 2025, the WTT Doha Star Challenge continued, and the young generation of the national table tennis team achieved a great victory. Following Chen Yi's advancement in the women's singles, Chen Yuanyu also advanced to the round of 32 in the men's singles. This 19-year-old rising star performed outstandingly, reversing Portuguese veteran Freitas with a score of 3-1, bringing new good news. In the men's singles 1/32 final, 19-year-old Chen Yuanyu took the stage against Portuguese player Freitas. The latter is a well-known figure in European table tennis with rich experience in major competitions. He often has intense exchanges with players like Moregaard, Ochsenberg, and the Lubrun brothers, and never presents a one-sided situation. Additionally, he frequently interacts with the national table tennis team members, so for Chen Yuanyu, this men's singles foreign match posed quite a challenge. Chen Yuanyu is a key newcomer cultivated by the national table tennis team. This 19-year-old rising star has great potential. He performed well in the recent Super League, helping his team achieve a commendable third-place finish, leaving a deep impression on many fans. Besides facing Freitas in the men's singles, Chen Yuanyu also has a mixed doubles partner in Chen Yi. From the arrangements made by the coaching staff, it seems they are trying to let everyone participate in multiple events, play more foreign matches to accumulate experience, and continuously improve themselves. After the start of the game, in the first set, Chen Yuanyu appeared somewhat nervous, missing his opportunities and making unnecessary mistakes. Both sides engaged in multiple mid-to-long-range…