World No. 1 table tennis star Lin Shidong of the Chinese mainland overcame a fierce challenge from South Korea's An Jae-hyun in a five-game showdown at the WTT Champions event in Chongqing on Thursday. The 21-year-old battled back from an opening-game loss to secure a 3-2 victory (11-13, 11-2, 11-6, 6-11, 11-5), thrilling fans with his adaptability under pressure.
An Jae-hyun, ranked 21st globally, stunned observers by claiming the first game through relentless precision. But Lin responded with aggressive rallies and strategic spins, dominating the next two games before facing renewed resistance in the fourth. The decider saw Lin methodically dismantle his opponent's defenses, advancing to a quarterfinal clash with Lin Yun-ju of Chinese Taipei.
In women's singles, China's top-seeded Sun Yingsha demonstrated commanding form with a straight-game victory (11-5, 11-3, 11-6) over Hong Kong SAR's Doo Hoi Kem. Meanwhile, Japan' Hina Hayata secured her quarterfinal berth by defeating Brazil's Bruna Takahashi in a tightly contested match (11-6, 13-11, 11-9).
The tournament continues to highlight Asia's dominance in global table tennis, attracting investors and sports analysts tracking emerging talent across the region.
