Will China Continue Its Dominance at the ITTF Mixed Team World Cup?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- China began the tournament with an 8-1 victory over Hong Kong.
- The competition format emphasizes the importance of each game.
- Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha are key players for the team.
- China is looking to defend its title, having won the previous two editions.
- The tournament is crucial for Olympic preparations.
Chengdu (China), Nov 30 (NationPress) The two-time defending champions, China, started their title defense with a commanding 8-1 win against Hong Kong, China in their first match of the 2025 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Mixed Team World Cup held in Chengdu on Sunday.
Olympic champions Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha gave China a significant head start by taking a three-game lead after defeating Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem with scores of 12-10, 11-8, 12-10 in the mixed doubles.
"In this tournament, where each match is played to three games, every single point is absolutely critical," commented men's world No. 1 Wang Chuqin. "We initially fell behind but managed to regroup and come back strong."
"Having faced Wong and Doo multiple times during the last Olympic cycle, we know each other well. They put up a strong fight, and winning the first game narrowly boosted our confidence," Sun added.
Kuai Man extended China’s advantage in the women’s singles with a victory of 11-4, 11-9, 9-11 against Zhu Chengzhu, while Lin Shidong finalized the match with an impressive score of 11-3, 11-4, 11-1 over Lam Siu Hang in the men’s singles, as reported by Xinhua.
This eight-day ITTF Mixed Team World Cup features a unique competition format that begins with mixed doubles, followed by women’s singles and men’s singles, potentially culminating in men’s and women’s doubles, depending on the team captain's strategy of the lower-ranked team.
Each match consists of three games, leading to a score of either 3-0 or 2-1. Team matches continue until one side achieves eight game victories.
Inaugurated in 2023, China has dominated the last two editions. With the mixed team event now included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, teams are placing greater emphasis on the Mixed Team World Cup in their preparations.
On the same day, South Korea triumphed over Sweden with an 8-3 scoreline, Chinese Taipei outperformed the United States 8-3, and Egypt narrowly defeated Chile in a thrilling 8-7 match.
Sixteen teams are split into four groups, with China placed in Group 1 alongside Hong Kong, Egypt, and Chile. China is set to face Egypt on Monday.