The great Ma Long was too good for Liam Pitchford in their last-64 clash at the WTT China Smash in Beijing, winning in three straight.

The Rio and Tokyo Olympic champion was beaten by Pitchford at the Bulgarian Open in 2018, but won their last match at the WTT Champions Macao last year.

The English No 1 won four of the first six points today, but Ma Long hit back and won the first 11-5 with a run of six successive points and continued his momentum into the early exchanges of the second game.

Pitchford hit back to level at 7-7, but a run of three successive points for the Chinese proved decisive. In the third, Ma Long put together a run of seven points from 4-2 down to break the back of the game and secure his place in the next round.

In the Mixed Doubles, Pitchford & Wales’ Anna Hursey were beaten in the last 32 by Yuan Licen & Shi Xunyao of China, though not without a fight as they came from 2-0 down to take it to a decider. But the Chinese pair won that 11-4.

Hursey & Minhyung Jee of Australia were beaten in the last 32 of the Women’s Doubles by Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) & Yangzi Liu (AUS).

Pitchford & Martin Allegro of Belgium are scheduled to play in the Men’s Doubles at 12.45pm UK time on Tuesday, against Chen Yuanyu & Zhou Qihao of China in the last 32.

Follow the tournament on the WTT YouTube channel.

Results

Men’s Singles
Round of 64
Ma Long (CHN) bt Liam Pitchford 3-0 (11-5, 11-8, 11-7)

Women’s Doubles
Round of 32
Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) & Yangzi Liu (AUS) bt Anna Hursey (WAL) & Minhyung Jee (AUS) 3-0 (11-8, 11-2, 11-7)

Mixed Doubles
Round of 32
Yuan Licen & Shi Xunyao (CHN) bt Liam Pitchford & Anna Hursey (WAL) 3-2 (11-5, 11-6, 6-11, 3-11, 11-4)