China's table tennis star Wang Chuqin secured his place in the men's singles round of 16 at the World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash in Houston, defeating Chinese Taipei's Kao Cheng-jui 3-1 in a gripping match on Tuesday. The reigning world champion dominated early with an 11-2 opener but faced resistance as Kao leveled the score in the second game. Wang regained momentum, clinching the next two games 11-6 and 11-3.
"I adjusted my strategy after discussing with my coach," Wang said post-match. "Staying true to my style was key."
Meanwhile, women's world No. 1 Sun Yingsha of China survived a tense five-game battle against Egypt's Hana Goda, underscoring the high-stakes competition. French qualifier Lilian Bardet continued his unexpected run, eliminating Germany's Ricardo Walther 3-1 after stunning China's Liang Jingkun earlier.
Other notable results included sixth seed Felix Lebrun's victory in an all-French clash and German seeds Benedikt Duda and Qiu Dang advancing. The tournament highlights Asia's dominance in table tennis while showcasing rising global talent.
