by sportswriters Cao Jianjie and Wang Zijiang
DOHA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- When China's Wang Chuqin was two sets down and on the edge of elimination from the men's singles event at the World Table Tennis Championships, the world No. 2 asked to change his sweat-soaked shirt.
He came back - with a dry shirt and a cool head - to win four straight sets from Simon Gauzy for a 4-2 (9-11, 9-11, 11-2, 11-9, 11-4, 11-8) victory that ensured him a quarterfinal berth.
"When I left the court for a new shirt, I became calm and started to think properly," said Wang after Thursday's game. "I felt so tranquil, so away from the tense atmosphere. I overcame my nerves."
Wang's sartorial swap was reminiscent of the quarterfinal clash at the Paris Olympics between China's Fan Zhendong and Japan's Tomokazu Harimoto, during which Fan changed his shirt while 2-0 down and his rival also asked for shirt change and took one set for a 3-2 lead.
"Fan Zhendong used a shirt-change tactics and so did I," joked Harimoto after one of the most thrilling games in the table tennis history.
Six-time Olympic gold medalist Ma Long also used a brief interval to turn the tables in the Olympics.
When South Korea's Jeung Young-sik took two straight sets from Ma in the 2016 Olympic quarterfinals, coach Liu Guoliang paused the game to allow Ma to change his shirt.
In Thursday's game, Wang found himself starting slowly against the 43rd-ranked Frenchman. But from the third set onwards, Wang played very aggressively with subtle maneuvers on the table and clinched the match in 52 minutes.
"I suddenly felt this could be my last game if I didn't turn the tide," said Wang. "I calmed myself down, not thinking about winning or losing. I just focused on tactics and skills."
Wang let out a loud shout while leading 5-2 in the third set. "I let off steam with that," he said.
After his loss, Gauzy rued Wang's ability to turn the tables and emerge victorious.
"Wang was not at his best at the beginning, while I was," said the 30-year-old. "It's hard to handle his power and speed." ■
