Top seed Wang Manyu of China stormed into the women's singles semifinals of the 2026 WTT China Smash in Beijing on Friday, 9 October 2026, sweeping South Korea's Shin Yu-bin 4-0 in just 30 minutes. The scores read 11-8, 11-7, 11-3, 11-9, extending Wang's head-to-head winning streak against Shin to eight consecutive matches.

Wang Manyu's Dominant Display

Wang was clinical throughout, never allowing Shin to settle. 'We just met at the Asian Games, and we are familiar with each other's technical and tactical approaches. I was well-prepared for any difficulties ahead of this match,' Wang said after the victory. The clinical margin — three of four games won in double digits — underlined the gulf in form between the two players at this stage of the tournament.

Chen Xingtong's Comeback Victory

Wang's compatriot Chen Xingtong produced a remarkable turnaround, rallying from two games down to eliminate Japanese chopper Honoka Hashimoto 5-11, 8-11, 11-2, 12-10, 11-3, 11-6 — securing her first win against Hashimoto in their third meeting. 'I was not quite used to her spin in the first two games, but I adapted better afterwards, stayed in contention and tried to attack whenever I had the opportunity,' Chen said. The result sets up an all-Chinese women's singles semifinal matchup.

Chinese Setbacks and Japanese Upsets

Not all of China's campaign went smoothly on Friday. Wang Yidi squandered a two-game lead and fell 4-2 to Japan's Miwa Harimoto, while Zhu Sibing lost 4-1 to Japan's Hitomi Sato in a clash between two defensive-style players. Japan's strong showing on the women's side sets up intriguing semifinal dynamics.

Men's Singles: Zhou Sets Up Matsushima Clash

In the men's draw, China's Zhou Qihao defeated South Korea's Jang Woo-jin 4-2 to book a semifinal berth against world No. 1 Sora Matsushima, who beat Chinese Taipei's Feng Yi-hsin 4-1. Zhou acknowledged the challenge ahead: 'I lost to Sora twice recently. Facing him again, I will spare no effort for a win.'

Doubles Action: Indian Pair Exits, Lebrun Brothers Advance

The women's doubles final is set to be a rematch of the 2026 Asian Games title bout. Japan's top-seeded pair Miwa Harimoto and Hina Hayata defeated Chinese wild cards Wang Yidi and Jiang Yiyi 3-1, while Wang Manyu and Kuai Man edged past compatriots Chen Yi and Li Yihui by the same margin. 'They were playing together as a pair for the first time, but they produced some excellent shots with great quality and speed, putting us under a lot of pressure. We held firm on clutch points,' Kuai said. Notably, Wang and Kuai had defeated Harimoto and Hayata 4-0 in their most recent meeting at the 2026 Asian Games. In mixed doubles, South Korea's Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin claimed the title, beating Chinese Taipei's Lin Yun-ju and Cheng I-ching 3-2. In the men's doubles semifinals, France's Alexis and Felix Lebrun eliminated China's Wen Ruibo and Yuan Licen 3-1. India's hopes in the doubles draw ended as Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah were knocked out in straight games by South Korea's Lim Jong-hoon and Oh Jun-sung. With semifinals looming, the 2026 WTT China Smash enters its decisive phase with China, Japan, South Korea, and France all in contention across disciplines.