China tops Japan in 3 of 4 women's singles quarters at table tennis worlds

Sun Yingsha (L) hits a return during the women's singles quarterfinal between Sun Yingsha of China and Odo Satsuki of Japan at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

China's Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu and Chen Xingtong each beat Japanese opponents at the World Table Tennis Championships women's singles on Friday, with Mima Ito pulling one match back for Japan.

The quarterfinals pitted China against Japan on four fronts, underlining the two countries as the runaway leaders in women's table tennis.

Top-ranked Sun came from one set down to defeat seventh seed Satsuki Odo 9-11, 11-8, 11-4, 13-11, 11-5 over 47 minutes, while second seed Wang Manyu triumphed over fifth seed Miwa Harimoto 11-5, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5.

"I am more concentrated than yesterday," said Sun. "I wasn't affected by the first set."

Third seed Chen defeated sixth-seeded Hina Hayata 12-10, 11-6, 11-7, 11-9.

"Japanese are really close to Chinese in table tennis," said Chen. "You don't have to be surprised about who beat whom."

Ito, seeded eighth, played a fast-attacking game against more heralded Wang Yidi, stunning the fourth seed 6-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 to set up a semifinal clash with Sun on Saturday.

"I have kept a close watch on her and she has consistently played well," said Sun.