WTT: Chinese players advance to the last 16

The second day of the WTT Champions Montpellier saw the opening-round action in both the men's and women's singles continue. Kuai Man and Zhou Qihao both battled to narrow 3-2 victories over their respective opponents, while Wang Manyu, Wang Yidi and Chen Xingtong all secured comfortable wins to advance to the last 16.

Women's singles fifth seed Kuai Man was the first Chinese player to take to the table. Facing Anna Hursey of Wales, Kuai took the opening two games 11-4 and 11-7 before surrendering the next two 8-11 and 9-11. The deciding game also went down to the wire, with the score reaching deuce. Fortunately, Kuai held her nerve and used her match experience to win the final two points, edging the game 14-12 to seal the victory.

Shortly after Kuai's hard-fought win, Zhou Qihao was involved in another five-game thriller in the men's singles. He lost the first two games 5-11, 5-11 against South Korea's Oh Jun-sung, but then found his rhythm and turned the match around in style, winning three consecutive games 11-8, 11-5 and 11-4 to complete a remarkable comeback from two games down.

The Chinese players then enjoyed more straightforward victories. Women's singles top seed Wang Manyu faced Egypt's Hana Goda, with all three games closely contested and going down to crucial points. However, Wang showed determination when it mattered most, winning all three games 11-9 to make a winning start to her campaign.

Wang Yidi also wrapped up her match against another Egyptian player, Dina Meshref, in straight games. The last Chinese player to take to the table, Chen Xingtong, likewise secured a straight-games victory over Ukraine's Margaryta Pesotska to complete a successful day for the Chinese contingent.