=Xinhua
Sun Yingsha [Xinhua]
The round of 16 is set at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Men’s and Women’s World Cup, with eight Chinese players advancing.
In men’s singles, world No. 1 Wang Chuqin and debutant Wen Ruibo both won their final group-stage matches in straight sets, securing spots in the knockout stage.
Chen Yuanyu, Liang Jingkun, and Zhou Qihao fell short, exiting at the group stage. Other notable qualifiers include defending champion Hugo Calderano of Brazil and world No. 2 Truls Möregårdh of Sweden.
China’s women’s team performed flawlessly, with all six representatives advancing.
Three-time defending champion Sun Yingsha, world No. 2 Wang Manyu, Kuai Man, and Chen Xingtong all recorded decisive victories in their final group matches.
Wang Yidi and rising star Qin Yuxuan each won 3–1, with Qin notably defeating Japan’s Hina Hayata to advance.
The round of 16 sets up a compelling clash as Sun Yingsha faces teammate Kuai Man.
The pair met in last year’s final, where Sun claimed the title with a 4–0 win. The knockout stages promise intense competition as top-ranked players from around the world vie for the championship in Macau.
“I think the arena here in Macau is really big, and all the facilities and setup are excellent. It should rank among the very best in the world,” Sun said, as cited by Xinhua.
“For me, standing on this kind of stage is something I really enjoy, and in such a big venue, the lighting design actually makes us more excited and helps us focus on the match. Looking ahead to the knockout stage, I believe the 16 players are basically the strongest in the world, and we are close rivals,” she added.
According to Sun, she “just wants to focus on myself, give my all, and enjoy the match.”
The 2026 ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup runs from March 30 to April 5 at Galaxy Arena, featuring 48 players in each singles draw.
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