Chen Xingtong survives Hana Goda scare, reaches quarterfinals at WTT Champions Macao

China's Chen Xingtong pulled off a remarkable comeback in the deciding game to edge Egypt's Hana Goda 3-2 and advance to the women's singles quarterfinals at the WTT Champions Macao on Friday in China's Macao SAR (Special Administrative Region).

Chen recovered from a slow start to prevail 3-11, 11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9, surviving a stern challenge from the 18-year-old Egyptian in a match that went the full five games.

Goda got off to the brighter start and dominated the opening game 11-3, but Chen quickly adjusted. The Chinese paddler took the second 11-8 to level the contest, before moving ahead after grabbing the third 11-6.

The match remained finely balanced as Goda refused to fade. She responded by taking the fourth game 11-9, sending the contest into a decider.

Chen then found herself in serious trouble. Goda raced out to a 7-1 lead and appeared to be closing in on a place in the last eight, only to watch Chen turn the match around point by point.

The Chinese star won 10 of the next 12 points, eventually completing the comeback 11-9 to seal the match 3-2 and avoid an upset.

Chen said afterward that she had not played well at the start of the deciding game, but noticed a change in Goda as the Egyptian moved closer to victory. She focused on reducing the deficit one point at a time, eventually finding a way back into the contest.

This encounter marked another close battle between the pair, after Chen also needed five games to overcome Goda at the Europe Smash in Sweden in August.

Friday's victory followed a much more straightforward start to Chen's campaign in the Macao SAR. She swept past Germany's Nina Mittelham 3-0 in the round of 32, dropping just 14 points across the three games.

Chen will next face another Egyptian player, Dina Meshref, in Saturday's quarterfinals. Meshref booked her place in the last eight with a straight-games victory against the USA's Lily Zhang.