Boll, Lin Gaoyuan set up last 16 encounter at WTT Star Contender in Lanzhou

LANZHOU, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Former world No. 1 Timo Boll from Germany will square off against currently seventh-ranked Lin Gaoyuan of China in the men's singles last 16 after securing 3-1 victories over their respective opponents here on Thursday at the Lanzhou 2023 World Table Tennis (WTT) Star Contender.

Boll triumphed over Chinese paddler Xiang Peng with scores of 11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, while Lin ousted Japan's Shunsuke Togami with match scores of 6-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8.

Also on Thursday, seven male and nine female paddlers from China advanced to the singles last 16, with Wang Chuqin and Ma Long emerging triumphant 3-1 in their second-round matches, and Boll's compatriot Dimitrij Ovtcharov, Japanese sensation Tomokazu Harimoto, and Quek Izaac of Singapore also advancing to the next round.

On the women's front, world No. 1 Sun Yingsha defeated Suh Hyo-won of South Korea 3-2, Liu Weishan took down Hina Hayata of Japan 3-1, and seven other female paddlers from the host nation, including Chen Meng, Wang Many, Wang Yidi, and Chen Xingtong, advanced to the next round with victories.

In the doubles play, Lin Shidong and Xu Yingbin advanced to the men's doubles semifinals, while their fellow Chinese Chen Meng and Wang Manyu reached the women's doubles semis after eliminating teammates Qian Tianyi and Chen Xingtong 3-2.

The mixed doubles semifinalists were also confirmed, as Tomokazu Harimoto and Hina Hayata of Japan won 3-1 over Chinese duo Lin Gaoyuan and Wang Manyu to set up a clash with South Korea's Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin, and world No. 1 Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha dispatched Liang Jingkun and Qian Tianyi 3-2 to face off against teammates Lin Shidong and Kuai Man in the semis.