China’s reigning world champion Wang Chuqin advanced to the men’s singles round of 16 with a commanding 3-1 victory over Kao Cheng-jui of Chinese Taipei on Tuesday at the World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash.
As the sole remaining player in the bottom half of the draw, Wang started emphatically, seizing the first game 11-2. Although Kao leveled the match with an 11-9 win in the second game, Wang regained control to take the next two games 11-6 and 11-3, securing his spot in the next round.
“We’ve faced each other many times before, so I was well-prepared, especially considering the uncertainties with the venue and table,” Wang said after the match. “In the second game, I became a bit conservative, but after discussing with my coach, I knew I had to stay true to my playing style.”
On the women’s side, world No. 1 Sun Yingsha endured another five-game thriller against Egypt’s 17-year-old sensation Hana Goda. Trailing two games to one, Sun showcased her champion mentality by clinching the final two games 11-7, completing a resilient comeback.
“Hana is quite young, and she posed a significant challenge today with her determination to win,” Sun commented. “Facing difficulties, I focused on improving my game with strong belief.”
French qualifier Lilian Bardet, who previously upset China’s Liang Jingkun, continued his surprise run with a 3-1 win over Germany’s Ricardo Walther. “I’m very happy and proud of myself,” Bardet said. “It’s not over yet, and I hope to go as far as possible. I just want to carry this confidence forward.”
Elsewhere, sixth seed Felix Lebrun won 3-1 in an all-French clash against Simon Gauzy, while Germany’s Benedikt Duda and Qiu Dang also progressed to the third round.
In addition to Sun, China’s Chen Xingtong, Kuai Man, and Chen Yi secured spots in the women’s last 16, alongside Japan’s Miwa Harimoto and Hina Hayata.
Kuai Man also teamed up with Lin Shidong to advance to the mixed doubles quarterfinals, sweeping Austria’s Robert Gardos and Sofia Polcanova in straight games.
