Chen Xingtong vs Adriana Diaz | World Cup Macao 2026

It's been a long time since these two faced each other in table tennis tournament. Last time I recall they faced was way back three years ago. Their previous two matches were won by the Chinese star. Here in the second day of the main draw we have the Chinese superstar Chen Xingtong against the champion of Puerto Rico Adriana Diaz. Let's take a look at their matchup. Who do you think will win? Bad spin reading there by Adriana. In terms of experience Chen Xingtong has been in the top 10 for a very long time compared to Adriana Diaz who is currently world's number 18. Adriana has been making good plays but can't seem to get big wins against top global elites. Adriana needs to time that well and put a follow through top spin to be able to counter these attacks of Chen Xingtong. That awkward attack. Adriana needs more sidesteps before attacking. She needs to be swift and fast to be on par with the speed of Chen Xingtong. Game one ends and Chen Xingtong took the win. This is best of seven by the way as we are in the main draw. The plan was there but the execution failed. Adriana has good table tennis IQ but her thinking and movements are not jiving. Adriana is one of the friendliest athletes in table tennis. She has good vibes and you might have encountered her smile a lot on interviews. The plan was there but she needs to put more energy and top spin on those backhand drives. Chen Xingtong is just owning her right now. A tomahawk serve carrying heavy underspin and a backhand flick to end the point. Too bad that did not go in. I was like watching Dmitry Ovcharov in that play but well that happens. Chen Xingtong takes game two to lead two to zero. That was like a Lin Wenru flick. Finally Adriana is scoring and we need to see her on her best form so that this match would become more interesting. Adriana has the power and has the moves but she needs to put more solid execution on those plays. That was a solid play. The rallies on the backhand. Chen Xingtong was dancing and Adriana had her signature chop block. But in the end Chen Xingtong's consistency won her that point. What a play. Another win on that rally. Just one more point and Adriana can finally score a game against Chen Xingtong. If the attack is too strong step back so that you can see the ball more. Lollipop. If that forehand went in that would have been one of her powerful game plays. The plan was really good. She is feeling agitated and she needs to calm down. Another chop block and follow up to finally take this game three. Adriana scores and we are now at two to one with the Chinese superstar leading. Is this her breakthrough game? A heavy underspin return but the expertise of Chen Xingtong and her loops just scored her that point. The scores are now getting closer and closer and you can see that each of them is feeling the pressure. Chen Xingtong feels the pressure more as Adriana keeps on getting closer to her. Look at the pacing and change of rhythm in Adriana's play. She punches and drives the ball. She slows by just blocking then again. The aggression. Changing the speed and flow of the ball disrupts your opponent. Chen Xingtong is feeling it and this is going interesting by far. Have you seen those side slices of Adriana? Those movements were just too creative. She is like the female version of Truls Morgaard. That was pure entertainment. Adriana takes game four to tie the scores at two to two. She actually said after the match she likes to feed off pace, use pace, redirect. If there's one thing in the game is that they're a little bit predictable sometimes. You know roughly what you're going to get right? Good play. Always find the open angle. If you cannot find one then create one. Adriana Diaz was just toying with the far end reach of Chen Xingtong. Good play. She realized she had to modify it. And she hasn't changed a thing. She's barely changed a thing in a few games now. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Two-two, five-all. Nothing between them. No Pan-American woman has ever finished on the podium of the World Cup. If anyone's going to do it, it's Diaz. Ability from Chen Xingtong. That consistency, a backhand drive of the Chinese superstar is just superb. Despite Adriana's chop block, Chen Xingtong just easily looped that one. Truly, consistency wins games. And the Diaz I think should have put away in a position like this. Deep but they're out without any spin on. Always to the same place. Better finding backhand. Gotta put that aside. Adriana had that one game point but the prowess of Chen Xingtong is just too high. Chen Xingtong finally took game five to lead three to two. Just one more game win and she secures her spot in the quarterfinals. Can Adriana stop her though? Still, game five was such a superb thrilling game between these two champions. To manufacture a lead. There's nothing in this. She's got what it takes for anything in life. You're at higher risk of overcomplicating and not doing enough. She's thrown a few points. She's spinning it Tongtong. She can't really smash it. She can't see it off with power. She's dangerous back here Diaz. A side spin. Adriana Diaz won the eyes of many on that play despite Chen Xingtong's point win. She is just too creative. The lobbing game and this is pure entertainment. She's in a big forehand winner doing all she needs to do. Superpower. A smash to close the lead. Chen Xingtong dominated this early game but Adriana is just not giving up closing in the scores. This will be the last game of Adriana in this year's world cup if she will lose this one as this is best of seven. Serving for survival here in Macau. What a point. We are now in the deuce battle and Adriana was able to close this. Can she take this and make a big comeback? Tongtong cross court and again. Brilliant. What a game. They won the hearts of many. Adriana nearly had that and the scores were tight. What a match. Superb and fantastic. Congratulations to Chen Xingtong and this was a nice try by Adriana. The Chinese superstar now secures her spot in the quarterfinals. What do you think of their performance?