China's table tennis stars Sun Yingsha and Wang suffered unexpected early exits at the World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash in Las Vegas, with world No. 1 Sun falling to compatriot Chen Yi in a thrilling round-of-16 clash on Thursday.
Chen, unseeded in the tournament, stunned the crowd by taking the first game 11-9 through disciplined play and capitalizing on Sun's uncharacteristic errors. The two-time Olympic silver medalist Sun rallied to claim the second game 11-7, but Chen intensified her aggressive tactics in the third, dominating 11-5.
The fourth game featured a dramatic 17-shot rally that brought spectators to their feet, with Chen ultimately securing an 11-9 victory to complete the upset. The result marks a significant shift in China's competitive table tennis landscape ahead of major international events.
While details of Wang's elimination remain unclear, the dual early exits of China's top seeds have sparked discussions about rising competition within the nation's table tennis program.
