Ma stunned in Chinese table tennis league

GUANGZHOU - Despite Olympic champion Ma Long's stunning defeat, Shandong Luneng managed to keep its winning record intact in men's team of the 2020 China Table Tennis Super League (CTTSL) on Thursday.

In a fifth-round match against Shenzhen, Ma lost to 20-year-old Yuan Licen 11-9, 13-11, 8-11, 11-9, bringing the match to a 1-1 tie after Shandong's Wang Chuqin/Fang Bo won the opening doubles. Yuan continued his excellent journey this season as the 374th-ranked youngster already got the better of Lin Yun-Ju and Xu Chenhao before Thursday's surprising victory.

After Fang came from behind to better Ren Hao 6-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-9, Wang sealed Shandong's win by dispatching Yuan in straight games.

Shanghai, featuring star penholder Xu Xin, suffered its first defeat of the season with a 3-2 loss to Shandong Weiqiao, thus making Shandong Luneng the only side with a perfect record so far in men's team category.

Without Ma's presence, Shandong Luneng went on to beat Sichuan 3-0 in the evening session.

In women's matches, Shenzhen snatched its sixth straight victory going into the season after sailing past Chengdu 3-0.

Shandong was the other undefeated side, beating Shanxi 3-0 to extend its winning streak to five matches.

Friday is the penultimate match day of the CTTSL's first stage, with two rounds awaiting women's teams and the seventh round for the men's category.