Flavien Coton vs Omar Assar | MS R16 | #WTTAstana 2026

Straight away we get to see that smothering shot. Can't afford to be too passive. I'm not sure whether he can outlast Flaviak. Scaring his last-round match against Adrian Rasenfoss of Belgium. When it juice in the fourth... In the fifth, rather. Oh, what a point. Oh, the backhand from Assar. The backhand from Coutinho. Oh, it's mesmerising table tennis. That's what I mean, he's so good. Very still, poised before he strikes. You see it. The body's always still. A lot of balls into that middle. His brother Khaled, also a very strong player. Not to mention, in the junior days, Julian Chirica of Romania. He won that croissant, three games to one. Oh, yeah. I do think Coutinho has the serve receive. Edge. The frustration of the African great. Nice shot out the crossover. Oh, here we go then. Oh, he races in, Assar. How much power he possesses. For a man with quite a light frame. Will he go along or not? Short serve. Great touch. Fizzing topspin off the backhand side. Team China, pick up with more singles at the quarterfinals. Exciting times ahead here today. The winner of this match is going to take on either Darko Jogic, or the exciting Chinese chopper, Romania. A surprise package to get through. He plays Deng Xiao. And I'm going to give a quick shout out to him. Also through his Chinese, Zhou Qihao. And Francis-Alexis Lepore. You can anticipate Assar playing to the middle. He's the favourite. I know that Simon Gauzy did reach the final of the recent contender in Almaty. And well, I think it's quite close as well between him and Alexis. Too good. Looking to get back inside the World's Top 20 again this season. And I think he will. Side spin smash from Assar made it. And serve from Omar. With six game points. It's going to be the first time ever that the World's will be held in Central Asia. I can't do it. Fortune for Assar. He might have had a little bit of treatment on it. Assar probably thought it was going to come half long and that he could brush it. But no. And he is with that flick. The cut on knows it's coming short. He's going to flick. Versatile inside the table. The fact that he's developed his forehand flick as well. Such a high level. Oh, I give it. It's all the Egyptian. Silky, silky. Lovely from Assar. The flick, the guide flick out was when you're hanging on the edge of a cliff. But it's Goton that takes it. With real conviction on that flick again. First time encounter won by the 18-year-old superstar.