HANGZHOU – After an early exit from the Asian Games, Singapore’s top table tennis player Izaac Quek bounced back from his disapppointment and got back to winning ways at the WTT Star Contender Lanzhou, China.
In Hangzhou last Thursday, the 17-year-old was prematurely knocked out of the Asiad men’s singles round of 32 by Iran’s 130th-ranked Amir Hossein Hodaei.
Six days later at the World Table Tennis tournament, he survived a comeback from China’s world No. 101 Chen Yuanyu to win 3-2 (11-7, 11-9, 10-12, 3-11, 11-5) before defeating 18th-ranked Frenchman Alexis Lebrun 3-2 (9-11, 9-11, 11-7, 15-13, 11-9) for the biggest win of his career.
Quek will meet China’s world No. 6 Liang Jingkun in the round of 16 on Friday. In the WTT event structure, Star Contender tournaments are behind only Grand Smashes, Cup Finals, and Champions series.
The US$250,000 (S$343,000) Lanzhou tournament features stars such as China’s Asian Games quadruple champion Wang Chuqin, triple champ Sun Yingsha and legend Ma Long.
World No. 65 Izaac told The Straits Times: “(Lebrun) is the highest-ranked opponent I have beaten and it feels amazing to win some matches also because my form hasn’t been that good in the last few events.
“At the Asian Games, I didn’t play well and lost during crucial moments in which I was too nervous and scared to play my own game. But that loss helped me adjust my mentality and focus here. The big crowds in Hangzhou also helped me adapt in Lanzhou, and I managed to execute my strategies well in crucial points here.
“I didn’t expect these wins but they have helped me regain my confidence as I have not had a good tournament in quite a long time.”
National assistant coach Zhang Zhen said the teenager did well to stay calm against a local player who was nervous and grew into the game.
He added: “In the second match, against a very strong player, Izaac did not capitalise on opportunities early on, but managed to adapt his mentality and technique in time to fight back for the win.”
Quek has enjoyed a meteoric rise in 2023.
He was ranked 242nd when he beat India’s world No. 51 Sharath Kamal Achanta to become the first local to win in the Singapore Smash men’s singles main draw in March, and followed up with a stunning victory over Sweden’s 36th-ranked Mattias Falck, the 2019 World Championships men’s singles runner-up.
While still 16 in June, Quek became the youngest SEA Games’ men’s singles champion, adding to the men’s doubles and team triumph for a golden hat-trick. In July, he became the first local-born Singaporean man to reach 60th in the men’s singles world rankings, before the Asiad slip-up.
National men’s coach Gao Ning said: “Izaac was not bad at the Asian Games, it was just that in certain moments he lacked variation in some games and did not handle some aspects well. As a result, there were some upheavals in his mental game.
“He has done well to prove himself in Lanzhou despite a tough draw against strong rivals early on, and we will continue to work on developing and improving his game.”
Meanwhile, in the women’s singles, Zeng Jian beat compatriot Goi Rui Xuan to reach the round of 32, where she was eliminated by South Korea’s Joo Cheon-hui. In the women’s doubles, Wong Xin Ru and Goi lost 3-2 to Hong Kong’s Ng Wing Lam and Li Ching Wan in the round of 16.
