Massialas comeback to keep World No. 1 Ranking

Alexander Massialas (USA) makes a comeback from 12 - 5 down against Chen Haiwei (China) at the Shanghai Grand Prix to keep his World rank number 1 spot after regaining it at long last, with his performance this season bringing indiviudial podium spots for the first time in years.
Fencers in this video:
Massialas USA
Chen CHN

[@jackstalwart513]

And on Chen's home turf, what a bout

[@OlympicFoil]

Yeah incredible

[@OlympicFoil]

Thanks Stephen Y. for linking this clip 🙏

[@noelabsol2834]

❤❤❤

[@lastbot7383]

wow Chen again lost 15-14 to Massialas

[@OlympicFoil]

Massialas got that dog in him 💪

[@lastbot7383]

@@OlympicFoil last time if I remembered correctly was a comeback that also took place in Shanghai!

[@OlympicFoil]

@@lastbot7383 You've got to feel bad for Chen 💀 it's so unlucky both times with the home crowd 😭 But it's cool Chen is back in form after a few years out

[@nobodyisbest]

The way I see it, Chen was totally exhausted. Well done to Massialas, but this might not have worked out for him, had Chen had a different run.

[@OlympicFoil]

Yeah it's hard to adapt when you're tired and it got him for sure Chen has been looking better and better, might get to see him making performances again at asian champs and world champs

[@data5859]

I don’t think it should’ve been a red card for chen

[@OlympicFoil]

Yeah seems like an unpopular call

[@noelabsol2834]

On both sides insane comebacks

[@Marcus-yj3cs]

Lol, I was in there cuz I spectated this live

[@OlympicFoil]

nice 😃 were you there for the full day?

[@easonchen900]

what happen at the last point, why he got right of the way? thank you

[@OlympicFoil]

I would say the ref reasoning to give it to Massialas is Chen makes too many line changes while Massialas doesn't. See what he does with the foil on the way in, compared to Massialas basically no change of line.

[@kimchisushi5251]

Chen also stops forward motion for a brief period while Massialas continues to move forward.

[@OlympicFoil]

@@kimchisushi5251 yes i agree

[@lesleylisu5795]

Thank you for explaining 🙏it’s really hard to get what happen on the last point

[@samsignorelli]

I'll be honest...looked simul to me.

[@OlympicFoil]

yeah fair

[@inscrutablemungus4143]

If I didn't have video and I was the ref, I'd have called simul. However, Massialas' blade actions were a lot more direct (he literally just did a fully committed advance lunge). Chen's blade actions were more 'prep'y right off the line. On the first step it looked like he wanted to leave himself an out and possible retreat/search for a parry, whereas Massialas just went all in.

[@MartinK001]

Why was the touch from CHEN at 13:11 not given and he was punished with red card?!? (can't find any reason) 3:28 in the video. The touch at 13:9 is weird too (2:04).

[@astrigal18]

I wondering if it is due to Chen going off the side of the strip "to avoid being hit". It would have been his 2nd time doing it.

[@OlympicFoil]

Possibly a card for leaving the piste to avoid being hit but it's an interesting one

[@discoboii715]

agreed about touch at 13-9, to me R searches and stops off the line. honestly I'm quite confused and would love for someone to shed some light on it

[@discoboii715]

woah 13-11 also sus... don't think he deserved a card since he hit before he went off the piste, also he had priority and R was closing distance while remising. For me he only left the piste because he was trying to hit, not avoiding being hit

[@miaomiaoda2147]

It’s not a card. Chen went out of the lateral boundary of the piste , so he has to restart at 1 meter back from where he stepped out. So he would be out of the bottom line after restart- that means Massialas gained 1 point

[@Fencist-dt8od]

Unfortunatly Chen has had 9 unmarked white vans show up at his house and hasn't been seen since then

[@hemenfencingidiot]

2:04 can someone explain why it is Massialas’s attack? Didn’t he search for Chen’s blade and missed?

[@OlympicFoil]

Yeah there are a few comments about that call, I'm not sure tbh

[@showwhite7320]

You're completely right. I personally believe that it's obvious that Massialas searched for the blade and Chen should be awarded priority; however, refs will ignore a search if it's "minor" as it's part of a compound attack. I think that's what the ref thought here. I think the reasoning is stupid especially when it's done so blatantly as Massialas did here. Massialas's front foot even moved back slightly when he tried to flick Chen's blade, so it's not part of a compound attack. He's literally trying to parry it.