Källberg can look back on a successful tournament where he reached the milestone of reaching the semi-finals (together with Truls Möregårdh) and then the final as the first Swedish player in a WTT Champions tournament.
But in the final it was Lin Shidong who ruled and even though Källberg was good at the beginning of the set, it ran away and the Chinese was able to play on his advantage.
When Källberg was heading into the fourth set at 0-3, he played out, dared more, and was able to win it 11-8 after getting comfortable with his heavy forehand.
“Anton has shown very good form after the Olympics”
– Anton has shown very good form after the Olympics, he is a fast player and he has good precision in placing the ball. I am so happy to have won over Anton, says Lin in his victory speech to the organizer.
Källberg took a timeout at a 7-4 deficit in the third set to get advice from national team captain Tobias Bergman: “Fight now”. Källberg saved two set points and forced Lin to take a timeout at 10-9 but came back to win the set 11-9.
The ball that made it 10-8 was the best of the match. Källberg pushed on with smashes that Lin picked. After great patience, the Swede won the ball with a nice hard placement.
Lin Shidong won 4-1 (11-5, 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8).
– I have played five matches and every opponent has offered tough resistance and I have never taken for granted reaching the final, says Lin Shidong after his fourth WTT title this fall.
They had met once before. In early October, Lin won 3-2 in the China Smash in Beijing.