(by Steve Hopkins, photo by USATT)
The best of the best fought their way into the Finals this evening in Huntsville at the 2024 U.S. National Table Tennis Championships. Contrasting styles were on display in the Men’s Final with the quick and agile Kanak Jha facing a very stable and steady Jinxin Wang. Jha started on fire, ripping winners from both sides and he dominated through a game and a half (logging a 10-4 win along the way). But the second half of Game 2 belonged to Jinxin Wang, down by two through most of the game until he managed to finally tie the score the score at 8-8. From there, Jha was up 9-8 with Jha pressing the pace and Jinxin defending with aggressive blocks. Then 9-9 off of a net ball. Then a tricky, angled return by Jinxin set up a forehand winner – and the game ended on a Jha missed service return.
Both players began the third game with careful setups and great shot-making. A big backhand down the line for Jha evened the score, then Jinxin had a reaction block for a winner, then Jha jumped out wide of his backhand to pound a forehand winner. Shot after shot from both players – and a tied score at 5-5. Jinxin changed tactics a little, spinning the ball to the middle and waiting for Jha to be the aggressor – it resulted in 3 in a row and a little lead. Jha then fights back, and again – the players are tied (9-9). Jha’s forehand gives him a 10-9 lead, and then Jinxin almost mirrors the same point with his own pair of forehand attacks (10-10). Both make a high pressure errors (11-11), and then Jha plays two aggressive plays wide of his own backhand (hitting one and missing the other to leave it 12-12). Jha with a big attack, then a protective block against Jinxin’s counter, and he closed out the point with a big forehand. Jha up one point and calls time-out to talk it over with his coach. Jha wins the third game 14-12 with a cross court forehand followed by an inside-out forehand deep to Jinxin’s backhand. Jha is up 2 games to 1.
Jinxin started the fourth game with the first two points, but Jha ran off 4 in a row pressing the pace on both wings and beginning to move Jinxin left and right. Jha maintained his lead as the two trade points, up 6-4, then 7-5, then 8-6, then 9-7 – eventually ending with an 11-7 score. Jha takes a 3-1 lead, and seems to be in complete control. Jha started the fifth game in dominating fashion – a service winner followed by a serve and smash combination. Jinxin answered with an attack of his own, but Jha already has a 3-1 lead (the same margin he nursed throughout the previous game). It is Jha’s backhand that seems to be taking over in the fifth game as Jha changes from safe over to a more aggressive posture. Still, Jinxin is a skilled shot-maker and winners from both players are untouchable. 6-3 Jha leads, then 7-3. Jinxin controls the next two points, landing one winner and missing the next (8-4 Jha). A big forehand down the line for Jha, then a tricky serve, and then an angled return – and Jha seals the win 11-4. Kanak Jha wins his fifth Men’s US National Championship.
Hong Lin and Amy Wang fought to a 5-5 stand-off, before Hong Lin pulled away. The score was tied, but Lin scored 6 in a row and won the first game easily. The second game followed a similar script, a 4-4 tie, then off to the races with Lin winning 6 of the next 8 points to secure an 11-6 win. Up 5-4 in the third game, Amy Wang played an aggressive serve and jumped up 6-4 (making sure to not follow the pattern set in the previous two games). Wang traded points with Lin, up 7-5, then 8-6, then 10-8 , before Amy Wang secured her own win 11-8.
Game four was back to the initial pattern, with the two players even to 4-4 before Lin pulled away (7-4, then 8-4, then 9-4, before securing the 11-7 win). Lin is up 3-1 with momentum. In the fifth game, both players took time outs early. Very quickly Lin’s two point lead expanded to four. And Hong Lin rides that momentum up to an 11-5 victory. Hong Lin is the 2024 US Women’s Singles Champion.
Visit ButterflyOnline.com for the latest table tennis news and results.
FULL U.S. NATIONALS RESULTS | WATCH U.S. NATIONALS VIDEO | BUTTERFLY’S U.S. NATIONALS PHOTOS
