Wang Chuqin romps into second round at table tennis worlds

Wang Chuqin competes during the men's singles round of 128 match between Wang Chuqin of China and Nandan Naresh of the United States at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 17, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's world No. 2 Wang Chuqin delivered a commanding performance, defeating American Nandan Naresh at the men's singles first round of the world table tennis championships on Saturday night.

Wang controlled the match effortlessly and left the 18-year-old opponent with limited opportunities to challenge him, winning the one-sided affair 11-6, 11-4, 11-2, 11-4.

A service call was successfully challenged as Wang asked for video review on a serve which was ruled as illegally angled.

"I have confidence in my serves," said Wang, who is seeking his first world singles championship in Doha.

Wang's world fifth-ranked teammate, Liang Jingkun, also made it to the second round, after beating Ham Yu Song from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea 14-12, 11-6, 10-12, 11-3, 11-8.

Xue Fei became China's first casualty, as the only penholding player on the team squandered a two-set lead in a 4-2 loss to Japan's Hiroto Shinozuka.

The world's most renowned penholder, world No. 6 Felix Lebrun of France, eased past Slovakia's Lubomir Pistej in straight sets.

Earlier, top-ranked Chinese woman Sun Yingsha cruised past No. 216 Veronika Matiunina of Ukraine in four sets.

"My performance is normal," said Sun, the defending world singles champion who has twice finished runner-up at the Olympics. "I didn't know much about my opponent. But her serve is good, and her style is unique as an 18-year-old teenager."

Sun will next take on the winner between 262nd-ranked Costa Rican Lucia Zavaleta and No. 67 Pyong Song Gyong from DPRK, whose players are known for exceeding expectations.

"My second round rival might be very strong. I will get myself prepared for a tough game," she said.

China's world No. 3 Chen Xingtong also reached the second round, beating South African Rochica Sonday 4-0.

Japanese Satsuki Odo and Mima Ito, ranked eighth and ninth respectively in the world, both advanced into the second round with straight-set victories.

Sunday's action will see China's world No. 1 Lin Shidong, Brazil's No. 3 and World Cup holder Hugo Calderano, and China's No. 2 woman Wang Manyu make their singles appearance in Doha.