The WTT Champions Chongqing 2026 burst into life on Tuesday with one of the biggest upsets of the season, as Japan's Satsuki Odo produced a stunning performance to eliminate China's Wang Manyu in the Women's Singles Round of 32. The 64-player tournament, held at the Bloomage Biotech Biohyalux ECM Arena in Chongqing's Banan District, wasted no time delivering drama on its opening day.

Odo swept the Olympic and world champion in emphatic fashion, winning 3-0 with set scores of 11-7, 11-5, and 11-3. The result was a complete reversal from their previous encounter at WTT Champions Doha in January, where Wang Manyu had come out on top. This time, however, Odo was clinical from the first point to the last, never allowing the Chinese star to settle into her rhythm. The manner of the victory was perhaps even more remarkable than the result itself, with Odo conceding just 15 points across three sets against one of the most decorated players in the sport.

The defeat will be a bitter pill for Wang Manyu, who was expected to shine on home soil in front of an enthusiastic Chongqing crowd. As one of the pillars of the dominant Chinese national team, early exits of this nature are rare and will raise questions about her form heading into the remainder of the season.

On the men's side, France's Felix Lebrun confirmed his status as one of the sport's brightest talents with a comprehensive 3-0 demolition of Nigeria's Quadri Aruna, winning 11-5, 11-6, 11-3 to advance comfortably to the Round of 16. The young Frenchman, ranked among the top players in the world, looked sharp and focused throughout the encounter.

It was not all positive news for the French contingent, however. Thibault Poret was eliminated in a tense five-set battle against South Korea's An Jaehyun, losing 2-3 after winning the opening set on a tiebreak. Young Flavien Coton also fell in straight games to China's Wen Ruibo, going down 0-3 in a tough draw.

Sweden's Truls Moregard also enjoyed a smooth passage through the opening round with a 3-0 victory over compatriot Anders Lind, while former world number one Zhu Yuling of China dispatched Germany's Ying Han by the same scoreline. Japan's Tomokazu Harimoto needed five sets to overcome Sweden's Anton Kallberg in a hard-fought encounter that kept fans on the edge of their seats.

The tournament, which runs through March 15, offers 1,000 crucial WTT ranking points and a champion's prize of $60,000. China's formidable squad still features Wang Chuqin, Sun Yingsha, and Liang Jingkun among those competing for glory on home soil.

CTTA secretary-general He Xiao emphasized the significance of the event, saying that tournaments like this serve as platforms for elite competition and promoting youth engagement in the sport. Vice Mayor Huang Maojun officially opened the competition, which also features fan engagement activities under the banner of the Vibrant Banan Racket Fiesta initiative.

As the tournament progresses into the knockout rounds, all eyes will be on whether Odo can sustain her inspired form, and whether the Chinese powerhouses can recover from this early setback to reassert their dominance on home turf.