Sun shines again

In the women's singles final, Sun Yingsha defeated her teammate Wang Manyu 4-2, capturing the title at the China Smash.

Despite not having a structured training regimen since the Paris Olympics, Sun showcased her dominance by securing back-to-back championships at the WTT Champions Macao and the China Smash, solidifying her status as the world's No 1 player.

Sun became the first paddler to exceed the 10,000-point mark as the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) released its latest world rankings on Tuesday.

Sun earned 2,000 points from her win at the China Smash, taking her tally to a record-high 10,800 points.

This match marked the 23rd encounter between Sun and Wang Manyu, and as the new Olympic cycle unfolds, more finals are expected to be contested by this dynamic duo.

"We know each other very well, and every match is fiercely competitive, usually going to six or seven games. I'm happy to win," Sun said.

The two players have been rivals since childhood, often training and living together. "We are not just teammates; we are also strong competitors. It's this rivalry that pushes us to keep improving," she added.

Earlier, Sun and her partner Wang Yidi finished runners-up in the women's doubles final, losing 3-1 to teammates Chen Xingtong and Qian Tianyi.

On Saturday, Paris Olympics weightlifting champion Li Wenwen attended the event to support Sun. The two athletes recently became friends during a joint event in Hong Kong and Macao. "She's a two-time Olympic champion and an incredible athlete. Her sporting spirit is something we all can learn from," Sun said.

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