SINGAPORE -- China's dominance of world table tennis showed no signs of fading on Sunday as Sun Yingsha and Wang Chuqin, both ranked number one in the world, captured the women's and men's singles titles respectively at the WTT Singapore Smash 2026, the sport's most prestigious annual event outside the World Championships.
Sun, 25, delivered a masterclass in composure to defeat compatriot Wang Manyu 4-2 in a riveting women's final that lasted 70 minutes and kept a packed Kallang arena on the edge of its seats. The victory earned Sun a US$100,000 winner's check and cemented her status as the tournament's most successful women's singles player in recent history, making it her third Singapore Smash title.
The final appeared to be heading for a straightforward conclusion when Sun took the opening two games 11-8, 11-9, using her trademark counter-attacking style to keep Wang Manyu at arm's length. But the world number two, who won the Singapore Smash in 2024, roared back with authority, taking games three and four 11-7, 11-6 to level the match at two apiece.
What followed was one of the most dramatic games of the tournament. In the fifth set, Wang Manyu surged ahead and held three game points, seemingly poised to take the lead for the first time. But Sun, displaying the ice-cold nerve that has defined her career at the highest level, reeled off five consecutive points to steal the game 12-10 in stunning fashion. That momentum shift proved decisive, and Sun closed out the match 11-9 in the sixth game.
Afterward, Sun reflected on the intensity of the contest. "Both of us gave everything we had out there," she said. "I am very satisfied with my performance, especially after recovering from injury. Moments like these remind me why I love competing."
Sun had earlier dispatched fellow Chinese player Chen Yi 4-1 in the semifinals, while Wang Manyu overcame Germany's Sabine Winter by the same scoreline to set up the all-Chinese showpiece.
The men's final offered a sharp contrast in drama. Wang Chuqin, 22, was utterly dominant against Chinese Taipei's Lin Yun-ju, the world number eight, sweeping to a 4-0 victory with game scores of 11-3, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9. The opening game set the tone as Wang raced to an 11-3 win, and Lin was never able to find a foothold in the match.
Wang, who previously won the Singapore Smash two years ago, credited a holistic approach to his recent form. "I have made improvements physically, mentally, and technically," he said. "That combination gives me the capability and the motivation to finish strong in big moments."
His route to the final was not entirely smooth. In the semifinals, Wang dropped the first game to France's rising star Felix Lebrun before recovering to win 4-1, showing the resilience that makes him such a formidable competitor on the biggest stages.
The results reaffirm China's stranglehold on the sport heading into what promises to be a landmark year for table tennis. With the ITTF World Team Championships in London and the World Cup in Macao still to come on the 2026 calendar, both Sun and Wang have sent an emphatic message to the rest of the world: the top of the mountain still belongs to China.
Table Tennis
Sun Yingsha and Wang Chuqin Reign Supreme at WTT Singapore Smash 2026
📅 Published on March 2, 2026 at 8:00 AM