Lin Shidong vs Vladimir Sidorenko | MS R16 | WTT Contender Muscat 2026

For a place in the quarters. Down the middle of the table. Nice half. Chiquita flip, but there it is. Against heavy topspin. Probably the best when he's had that in his locker since he broke through in 2022. Oh, chop block! Like you can see Mongozzi. His chop block's a bit more floaty. I wanna see a villain arc here from Lynch. I wanna see him. I also wanna see Vladimir Sidorenko. Challenge the world number two. Some posh to play his four on counter. And Shidong's bringing him in and out, out and in. Close start to the match, but now Shidong on a tear. He wins the first game, Shidong. But still, could you be asking more of a 20-year-old? And as he whips you in these guys. Wang Youzheng, Xiang Peng, Wen Ruibo. Oh, man. Imagine that pressure. Really recover quickly and abbreviate his strokes. If you're new to his game, he has had some brilliant wins recently. Incredibly talented players on the women's side. Elizabeth Abramian, Maria Telekova. It's great to see the touch, push, or flick. It's a great serve there from Sidorenko. Settling Shidong, there's no table tennis review. TTR here. Well played. What about that? 6-2 down, he wins the game 11-0. I think Sidorenko. Oh, Chiquita. Another fault. And that was a serve in the book. The backhand serve. Fault me for this, then I feel like it's personal. And Sidorenko. Quick push, there it is. Just not in the right place. Sharp smash from Sidorenko in game number three. Oh, flying backhand. Shidong stays in it. There it is. Little stone, because he is. Tough to break down. In the last game. Backhand touch, half long, forehand. Great composure. What a point. Outstanding. He's got the forehand in Sidorenko, but he can't stay on top. Shidong, 8-1 down. Not 8-2 down. And he's got a game. Sidorenko safe. I thought Sidorenko was about to do it as well. Or Shidong, rather, who had a point against Vladimir Sidorenko. And he takes it with some swagger. What a comeback from Lin Shidong. He was 8-1 down there against Sidorenko. Many incredible players there are nowadays. And think about it. Ma Long didn't even win a WTT series title. Lin Shidong denied him in Beijing. There really is a losing that game, that last game. He knows he's still in this. Great shot from Lin Shidong. Off the bounce from Sidorenko. Away to the table, just. Nice touch from Sidorenko. First spin, good recovery. Chasing those forehands. Great footwork. Distance himself perfectly. More and more pressure on Shidong. To Vladimir Sidorenko. And we're going to a decider. What about that? Orientated player. You have to try to rely more on the forehand under pressure. And Sidorenko, what a block. Oh, but then he can. Good finesse from Shidong. Off the bounce. But he knows, like Sidorenko's league mate, Simon Gauzy, in the conversation. Very ambitious effort there to silence the critics. Leads by two. Chops it back. In fact, the push before was what put. He is bringing the heat. Can get that forehand in. He could beat Lin Shidong. Punishing from the world number two. Look at this. He's got another edge of the tape for these young players. Oh, it was half long. But that is just stupendous. Look at this calibration. We've seen comebacks from both. You cannot say who deserves this more. Great recovery there. Forward. Survives the third ball attack of Sidorenko. Oh, Sidorenko misses his favourite shot. Too much points for Lin Shidong. Lin Shidong has just survived a serious scare against Vladimir Sidorenko. A man who's returned to the big game and in style as well.