Current champion of the tournament, the Brazilian was eliminated by the Chinese Wang Chuqin, by 4 sets to 1
Hugo Calderano is out of the Table Tennis World Cup final in the men’s singles category. In the early hours of this Sunday (5), the Brazilian lost to number 1 in the worldthe Chinese Wang Chuqin, who now faces the 18-year-old Japanese Sora Matsushima. If Chuqin loses, Sora could become the youngest to win the WTT. The final takes place later, at 9am.
The Chinese won by 4 sets a 1 with splits of 11-7, 11-3, 11-7, 6-11 and 12-10. The Brazilian left the race for the second consecutive title in the category, but he had already guaranteed a bronze medal of the competition by defeating Frenchman Alexis Lebrun last Saturday (4).
In the first set, Wang Chuqin set the pace of the match and beat Hugo Calderano 11-7. The Chinese took an initial lead with 2-0, but saw the Brazilian balance the game and reach a 3-3 draw.
The partial continued to be played point by point until 8-7, at which point Chuqin started to show a firmer game. By converting three points in a row, the number 1 in the world ranking closed the count without any major difficulties, guaranteeing a 1-0 advantage in the confrontation.
In the second set, the Chinese expanded it by winning 11-3, a period marked mainly by errors from the Brazilian. Chuqin dominated from the start of the round, taking a 6-0 lead. Calderano made a timely reaction by scoring two points in a row, reducing the partial lead to 6-2, but was unable to sustain a pace capable of threatening his opponent’s lead.
The Brazilian only showed signs of reaction from the third set onwards. It was the closest partial so far and the first time in the match that Hugo had an advantage, yet Wang won again, this time by 11-7.
The reduction in the difference was a consequence of greater resistance from Calderano, who managed to alternate the lead on the scoreboard until a 6-6 draw, but the Chinese regained control in the final stretch, winning five of the last six points.
The fourth set was the only partial that Hugo Calderano got the better of: he beat Chuqin 11-6. Despite starting with a 4-1 lead, the Brazilian saw his opponent turn it around to 8-4. But Calderano managed to regain control and dominate in the final stretch of the split.
The joy, however, was short-lived as Wang Chuqin prevailed 12-10 in the fifth and final set of the match. After changes of lead and a 10-10 draw, the Chinese secured the last two points of the game. The victory in the partial sealed the result of the match and the Chinese’s progress to the WTT final.
*With information from Estadão Conteúdo
