The matches on the morning of the first day were singles round-robins, played as the best of five sets. According to the seeding chart, the four groups of men and women competed simultaneously.
For her first match, Shasha was up against Chen Xingtong, the teammate who had defeated her in Qatar. Being completely familiar with each other's games, they started rallying right out of the gate. Shasha was a bit slow to get into the groove, dropping the first set 8-11 after Chen hit several sharp-angled spin shots.
Wang Chuqin stood on the sidelines watching Shasha play. As a non-main-player, his rotation was further down the line, and he wouldn't take the stage until the second round. He looked calm and composed; once Shasha fully warmed up, her speed and technique were flawless, and she was bound to win.
Chapter 86