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The Hindu
25-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Table Tennis World Championships 2025: China's Sun Yingsha, Wang Chuqin win singles titles
China swept the singles titles at the Table Tennis World Championships again, with Wang Chuqin securing a dominant 4-1 victory over Hugo Calderano in the men's final and Sun Yingsha retaining the women's crown on Sunday. World number one Sun overcame a stubborn challenge from Wang Manyu, outwitting the world number two in a thrilling final to clinch gold with a 4-3 victory in Doha. Former champion Manyu, who beat Sun in the 2021 final, fought back from two games down and saved four championship points to take the contest down to the wire. 'We have played each other many times since childhood. So, every time we meet in the finals, it would be a tough match,' Sun said. No.1 seed living up to her billing ☝️ Sun Yingsha defeats Wang Manyu 4-3 to lift the Geist Prize for the second straight time 🔥 #ITTFWorlds2025# — World Table Tennis (@WTTGlobal) May 25, 2025 The 24-year-old started well, winning the first two games 11-6, 12-10. Manyu bounced back to dominate the next two games, and was a point away from winning the fifth but Sun saved the game point and took it 12-10. Sun quickly took a 10-6 lead in the sixth game, putting her a point away from winning the championship, but Manyu held her nerve to win the next three points. The defending champion pushed for victory with a forehand that Manyu barely got her paddle to, but the ball soared up high and nicked the table, putting Wang level at 10-10. Manyu seized the momentum to win the sixth game 13-11 and took a 3-0 lead in the decisive seventh. 'At that time, my mentality fluctuated a little bit,' Sun admitted. Sun, who had beaten Wang in nine of their previous 10 meetings, rallied to win the seventh game 11-7, however, to secure the title. 'Every day I fought hard... and I cherished each game. And I'm extremely happy I managed to stand till the last,' Sun added. World number two Wang claimed his first singles gold at the World Championships, beating Calderano 4-1 to avenge his loss to the Brazilian at last month's World Cup. World number three Calderano, the first Brazilian to win the World Cup, was no match for Chuqin's speed as the Asian Cup winner forced Calderano on to the defensive. 'After losing (at) the World Cup, I fell into doubt, especially during my training,' said Chuqin. 'So, I had a challenger's mindset.' Chuqin, who lost the 2023 final to compatriot Fan Zhendong, took the first two games 12-10, 11-3, and although Calderano bounced back in to win the third 11-4, the Chinese regained control to seal victory. Earlier, Japan won the men's doubles title for the first time in 64 years, with Hiroto Shinozuka and Shunsuke Togami edging out Chinese Taipei's Lin Yun-ju and Kao Cheng-jui 3-2. FULL LIST OF MEDALLISTS Men's Singles Gold - Wang Chuqin (China), Silver - Hugo Calderano (Brazil), Bronze - Truls Moregard (Sweden) and Liang Jingkun (China) Women's Singles Gold - Sun Yingsha (China), Silver - Wang Manyu (China), Bronze - Mima Ito (Japan) and Chen Xingtong (China) Men's Doubles Gold - Hiroto Shinozuka (Japan) and Shunsuke Togami (Japan), Silver - Lin Yun-ju (Chinese Taipei) and Kao Cheng-jui (Chinese Taipei), Bronze - Felix Lebrun (France) and Alexis Lebrun (France), Florian Bourrassaud (France) and Esteban Dorr (France) Women's Doubles Gold - Wang Manyu (China) and Kuai Man (China), Silver - Bernadette Szocs (Romania) and Sofia Polcanova (Austria), Bronze - Shin Yubin (Korea) and Ryu Hanna (Korea), Miwa Harimoto (Japan) and Miyuu Kihara (Japan) Mixed Doubles Gold - Sun Yingsha (China) and Wang Chuqin (China), Silver - Shin Yubin (China) and Lim Jonghoon (Korea), Bronze - Cheng-i-ching (Chinese Taipei) and Lin Yun-ju (Chinese Taipei), Miwa Harimoto (Japan) and Sora Matsushima (Japan)
Qatar Living
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Qatar Living
Qatar's Abdulwahab creates history, enters Round of 64 in TT Worlds
By QLNews • 18 May 2025 08:05 Qatar's Mohamed Abdulwahab created history on Saturday when he became the first player from the country to enter the Round of 64 of an ITTF World Table Tennis Championships. At the Lusail Multipurpose Hall and Qatar University Sports Complex, he overcame New Zealand's World No.104 Alfred Della Pena in the round of 128, taking the game 4-0 (11-5, 11-2, 15-13, 11-1). Abdulwahab delivered a commanding performance to become the first Qatari player ever to enter the tournament's main draw. 'I'm proud of this result, especially knowing even some of the world's best players were knocked out in the first round,' he was quoted as saying. 'Qualifying for the next stage is a huge honour for me — my happiness is indescribable,' he added. Hometown glory Mohammed Abdulwahhab overcomes Alfred Dela Pena 4-0 on home turf to secure a historic R64 spot #ITTFWorlds2025 #TableTennis — World Table Tennis (@WTTGlobal) May 17, 2025 Abdulwahab had also been chosen to take the players' oath during the opening ceremony. 'That itself was already a moment of great pride for me. So this result builds on that, and I hope to continue performing at my best in the upcoming rounds,' he said. He will take on Sweden's World No.15 Anton Kallberg in the next round. Meanwhile, the World Championships kicked off in right earnest on Saturday, with tenth seed Dang Qiu requiring late inspiration to fend off a dangerous challenge from Croat Filip Zeljko (11-6, 7-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-8). Qiu will play Tom Jarvis in the round of 64. Jarvis overcame Benedek Olah 4-1 (11-7, 11-6, 5-11, 11-8, 11-5) to make it to the next round. Brazilian Giulia Takahashi made a great start to her singles debut at the Worlds with a ruthless 4-0 win over Nigeria's Hope Udoaka (11-3, 11-1, 11-6, 11-8). China's Sun Yingsha kickstarted her title defence with a complete performance, brushing aside Ukraine's Veronika Matiunina in dominant fashion (11-5, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7). Japan's seventh seed Satsuki Odo began her championship with a confident 4-0 victory (11-5, 11-10, 11-8, 11-5) against Chilean Paulina Vega. South Korea's Shin Yubin delivered a similarly decisive 4-0 (11-5, 11-7, 11-3, 11-3) result against New Zealand's Lisa Gear, while Taiwanese Li Yu-Jhun defeated Cuban Daniela Fonseca 4-0 (11-7, 11-8, 11-5, 11-5). Romanian Andreea Dragoman overcame Thailand's Jinnipa Sawettabut 4-1 (11-5, 6-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-7) in a thriller. --- Make sure to check out our social media to keep track of the latest content. Instagram - @qatarliving X - @qatarliving Facebook - Qatar Living YouTube - qatarlivingofficial Log in or register to post comments 7 Historic Forts to Explore in Qatar This Eid By Qatar Living · 0 · 1 month 2 weeks ago Discover Qatar's rich history this Eid by exploring its iconic forts. From the UNESCO-listed Al Zubarah Fort to the scenic Barzan Towers, each site offers a glimpse into the country's past. Whether you're a history buff or looking for a unique adventure, these forts provide the perfect getaway. Fascinating Facts About Qatar You Probably Didn't Know By Qatar Living · 2 · 5 months 1 week ago Qatar is a land of fascinating stories, rich traditions, and surprising wonders. From its unique flag to ancient purple dye production, there's so much more to discover about this vibrant nation. Read on to explore Qatar like never before! Beat the Heat: 5 Tips to maintain your car this summer By Qatar Living · 2 · 3 weeks 5 days ago When Qatar's summer temperatures hit extreme highs keeping your car cool isn't just a luxury, it's a necessity. Here are some smart and practical tips to help your vehicle stay cooler and safer during the hottest months. Post to Forum
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
LA 2028 Olympics Games venue for table tennis too small, says ITTF president Soerling
The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics table tennis venue is too small for the needs of the sport amid growing global popularity, said the head of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), Petra Soerling, on Thursday. The table tennis competition at the 2028 Games will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Centre, a venue for several other sports during the Games, including wrestling and judo. LA Games organisers announced the venues back in April. For table tennis the capacity is around 7,000, Soerling said. That is a similar size to the Paris 2024 Olympics venue for the sport last year. 'In Los Angeles we think our venue is too small,' Soerling told a group of international news agencies. 'The location is excellent but I am sad to say we can only be maximum seven thousand. 'We are selling out bigger venues than that. Let's see what we can do. There is still time,' she added. Soerling, who is running for another term as ITTF president on May 28, said the sport had witnessed growth in recent years and got a massive boost by the success of the Paris Olympics in 2024. ALSO READ: Olympic silver medallist Truls Moregard injured in drone accident during training 'We want to grow more, and the momentum we saw after Paris is just the beginning,' Soerling said. 'It is not only in China. It is also in other places. 'We have never seen what we are facing now. Seeing venues sold out in less than 20 minutes. We have a number one for the under-11 from Uganda. The Paris Olympics and Paralympics were sold out.' The ITTF will also host its first Grand Smash event -- the top tier tournament of the ITTF's commercial arm World Table Tennis -- in Las Vegas in July this year, the first time it has been held outside Asia. This will then be followed by a Grand Smash event in Sweden's Malmoe in August. 'We can see there is this big appetite,' Soerling said.
Hindustan Times
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Happy with my current form, will continue to focus on my game and not the outcome: Diya Chitale outlines her next target
Diya Chitale has scripted history a couple of times, most recently at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Contender held in Tunis over April 22-27, where she and Manush Shah became only the second Indian pair to win the mixed doubles title. In October last year, the table tennis player was part of the team that won a historic bronze for India at the Asian Championships held in Kazakhstan. She also happens to be the youngest Indian female to have won a double crown in the National Championship in the U-18 and U-21 categories. The budding paddler exemplifies resilience. Months after a stress fracture in her foot shattered her Paris Olympics dreams, she bounced back and clinched her maiden senior women's singles title in January this year, overcoming a 0-2 deficit to beat Olympian Sreeja Akula in a nail-biting final. She partnered with Akula to secure the women's doubles title at the same championship. In an interview with Hindustan Times, she spoke about the factors that fuel her fire, the need to bounce back after heartbreaks and how government support and the Ultimate Table Tennis have helped her grow as an athlete: Yeah, I think it was one of our biggest wins as a pair. This was actually the first time that we reached the final of a WTT event (contender or star contender). We had earlier reached many, many semi finals. We had won a title in the feeder event before as well. But in a contender (match), we had never made it past the semis. So first of all, we were really thrilled to have reached the finals. Then of course, we had to play against a top Japanese pair in the finals. We had actually lost to them - 3-0 - last year. This time I think both of us were really well-prepared for the match. And I think throughout the partnership, our bonding was really very good. So we just tried to play every point with full aggression, tried to focus on our game and what we needed to play. As the match went on, we started getting the feeling that we could actually win against them. We continued to play aggressively, trying to attack first, which is actually our strength as a pair. We were really very, very glad that we could take the trophy home. Definitely the world championship that starts on May 17. We (Manush and I) will be playing mixed doubles there too. Then there is singles, women's doubles, mixed doubles, everything. So of course, that is one of our next targets - to at least make it to the quarterfinals in the World Championships. The world's top pairs will be playing there but I think we are in vert good shape. We won (the WTT Contender Title) in Tunisia, so we are looking forward to carrying the same form. A more long-term goal, towards the end of the year, would be to break into the top 10 or even top eight. We are at the 11th place now. And I think the ultimate goal for both of us as a pair is definitely to win a medal at the Olympics for India. Yeah, of course. Being part of the Paris Olympics team was a target, but that did not happen. Of course, there was a lot of disappointment. I think it's more important to move forward rather than dwell on what didn't happen. So I tried to rebuild from there on. I think the year so far has been really good for me. I won the National Championships at the beginning of the year. It was an important milestone for me and I was very happy to have made it. And of course, in the mixed doubles, we were playing really well for quite some time. Winning this title gives us a very big confidence boost and tells us that we are on the right path. After the Paris Olympics (didn't work out), I started working more on other things that I needed to do in training. I focused on playing my game rather than thinking about the results. When I'm on the table, I just try to play my game and have fun. I think that has really been working well for me, and I'm just going to carry that forward. I would say that times really are changing in India. Earlier, no one would actually take up sports as a career or a profession. They would play till a certain age ad then focus on academics. That's changing now. People are taking up sports as a career. So my advice to young athletes would be - if your goal is set, put your all into it. If you really want to achieve it, just go all out, have fun, enjoy what you're doing. There will always be difficult times and difficult phases, but you must bounce back, work hard and just keep believing in yourself. Your hard work will pay off in the end. I finished my graduation last year. And yeah, I think it is pretty difficult to manage sports and academics. Honestly, I was very, very lucky to have the support that I did when I was younger from my school Arya Vidya Mandir. That really helped throughout my time in school. For instance, if I was not available during an exam, they would let me retake it and offer me separate classes if I missed out on any classes. With their support, I was really able to focus on training and playing tournaments even during my school years. Of course, Chitkara University also supported me with my career, and that played a huge role in my success. Since I had to travel a lot, they let me do most things online. I never really had to go to college. That was a huge help. Thanks to them, I dedicated all my attention to table tennis. The government has devised many helpful schemes that are helping players hugely. Take the Khelo India initiative—it really helped me in my initial years by allowing me to participate in more tournaments and get the best facilities. Also, now I'm under the TOPS development scheme, which is also a huge help for all. SAI is also helping us a lot. Government backing has enabled us to give our best on the table without having to worry too much about other stuff. You received a letter of appreciation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year. That must have been special. How did it feel? Of course, when the Prime Minister sent such a letter, it was definitely a huge encouragement for all of us. Besides, he had meetings with all of us before we went for the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. I think it's a great initiative from him that he frequently meets us. I think he's so invested in the sport and he really knows it in detail. When we see such government support, the fact that they are always there for us, it pushes us to do better for the country. Honestly, I feel there is always pressure, whether you're the highest or the lowest (paid). There is always going to be a bit of pressure in any match you play. I think it's about how you take that pressure and how you deal with it that counts. I was really happy to have performed so well last year. About being the player with the highest bid, I was happy all the teams wanted me despite there being so many top players. But I think I'm just going to go with the same flow as last year and just try and help my team to make as many points as possible. I love playing in team events, and the atmosphere and the platform that Ultimate Table Tennis has created is really great for all the young athletes and all the Indian players, I would say, because we get a chance to play with the top foreign players, to practice with them and spend time with them. So it's an amazing platform that they have created for us. The crowd is amazing. It's a great atmosphere. There's just one table. So I have a lot of fun playing in such tournaments. I'm really looking forward to it. Firstly, I have closely followed UTT - whether it was watching from the stands or from home. I always wanted to be a part of it. When I finally got that chance, I realized what an amazing atmosphere it was to play in. Last year was an amazing season for me. I was able to help the team reach the finals, and we won silver. When you're able to do that for your team, it gives you a confidence boost. UTT also teaches you how to handle pressure. Plus, the crowd is great, the cheering is great, and the opportunity to play against and practice with foreign players has really helped me grow.
South China Morning Post
24-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Table tennis finals set to serve Hong Kong well
Hong Kong has stepped up the pace in the race to become an international centre for star-studded sports events. First it was snooker, then rugby sevens and golf. Top European football teams will perform in the summer. The new Kai Tak Sports Park is already proving its worth. Advertisement But the announcement that Hong Kong is to host a top international table tennis tournament in December is especially welcome, given the popularity of the sport in which China is a world leader. The WTT Finals is the season's finale, featuring top-ranking players. It will take place over five days at the Hong Kong Coliseum. The prize pool has been raised to US$1.3 million. China's stars will be a big draw and there will be strong support for the city's players who will have a wild card in the mixed doubles. The recent World Cup event in Macau attracted thousands of passionate fans from the mainland. There were sell-out crowds and a vibrant atmosphere, especially when China's players were in action. Advertisement The International Table Tennis Federation and its commercial arm, World Table Tennis, are hoping to move on from a recent controversy over the withdrawal of three of China's top players from the global rankings.
