In a surprising turn of events, Guan Tianwei has dropped out of the title race for the 2018 World Table Tennis Championships in Tokyo.

The Chinese player had been on top of the leaderboard with a lead of 19 points over compatriot Wang Hao, but he withdrew from the event citing personal reasons.

Wang Hao will now take on Japan's Takanobu Sato in the final, while China's Yu Yang and Japan's Yuta Ozaki will battle it out for second place.

It is believed that Guan's withdrawal was due to personal reasons and he may have been struggling with injuries or other health issues.

However, his absence has left the competition open for the likes of Wang Hao, who has been one of the standout performers throughout the tournament so far.

He has won five of his six matches, including victories over world number one Chen Jiawei and former champion Zhou Qun.

Yu Yang, meanwhile, has also been impressive, winning four of her five matches and showing great form at the event.

Despite the loss of Guan, the competition remains close and exciting, with many fans eagerly awaiting the final showdown between Wang Hao and Takanobu Sato.

Overall, it seems like Guan's withdrawal has opened up new opportunities for other players to challenge for the championship, making for a thrilling conclusion to what has been an unforgettable event.