Chinese table tennis stars Sun Yingsha and Lin Shidong showcased their dominance at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Singapore Smash on Sunday, clinching the women’s and men’s singles titles respectively. Their victories secured all five titles for China at the prestigious tournament.
Sun Yingsha Reclaims Her Crown
In the women’s singles final, world No. 1 Sun Yingsha faced compatriot Kuai Man, who was making her debut in a WTT Grand Smash singles final. Sun started strong, winning the first game 11-8. Although Kuai leveled the match by taking the second game 11-9, Sun regained control, claiming the next three games 11-7, 11-5, and 11-6 to seal her victory.
“I’m quite happy about making a good start this year,” Sun said after the match. “Facing a familiar opponent, I was more focused and gave it my all throughout the match.”
This marks Sun’s third singles title on the WTT Grand Smash stage, following her triumphs at the 2022 Singapore Smash and the 2023 China Smash. With 14 singles titles in the WTT Series, she holds the record for the most titles by any player.
Lin Shidong’s Rise to the Top
On the men’s side, Lin Shidong battled against Liang Jingkun in an all-Chinese final. After the two players split the first four games, Lin surged ahead, dominating the final two games 11-3 and 11-2 to clinch the title.
Lin’s victory in Singapore was part of an incredible run, as he also secured titles in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles events. Building on his success at the 2023 China Smash, Lin is set to rise to world No. 1 in the upcoming world rankings—a significant milestone for the 19-year-old.
“For me, the world No. 1 is just a title,” Lin commented. “I still need to improve myself in the future and go all out in every match.”
Despite her defeat, Kuai Man leaves Singapore with pride, having won the mixed doubles and women’s doubles titles earlier in the tournament.
