In the second round of men's singles qualifying, Wang Yang faced South Korean opponent Kim Tae-hyun in a best-of-five match. Wang took the lead twice, only to be pegged back each time. In the final game, with Kim leading 1-0, it was Wang's turn to serve. He tossed the ball and hit it towards Kim’s side of the table, but the umpire called a fault on the serve, awarding the point to Kim, making it 2-0.

Wang reacted angrily, smashing his paddle onto the table. The impact left a noticeable dent, rendering the table unsuitable for play. He then argued with the umpire, even resorting to Latin, exclaiming, "Son of a dog". He also spoke in Chinese, repeating, "Always penalties, always penalties".

Wang Yang (left) just before smashing his paddle during his match against Kim Tae-hyun in the second qualifying round of the US Smash table tennis tournament at the Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, 5/7/2025. Photo: Screenshot.

Initially, the umpire issued a yellow card. However, after consulting with other officials, they decided to issue a red card, disqualifying the Slovakian player. Wang continued to berate the umpire about the decision. Kim ultimately won the match 9-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-6, 11-0. The South Korean player advanced to the third qualifying round but lost to French opponent Lilian Bardet, failing to reach the main draw.

Wang committed several service faults during the match. According to regulations, players must toss the ball at least 16 cm high; otherwise, they lose the point. Chinese media reported that some of Wang's serves appeared legal, but the umpire called faults, leading to his frustration. Nevertheless, smashing the table and receiving a red card are both rare occurrences in top-level table tennis tournaments.

Wang was born on 24/9/1994 in Taihu, Anhui Province, China. A former member of the Chinese youth team, he moved to Slovakia 15 years ago after failing to secure a spot on the senior team. This move allowed Wang to compete in the Olympics and consistently rank within the top 50 players globally. Known for his defensive style and spin serves, serving is a key component of the 30-year-old’s game.

The US Smash is one of the four major tournaments on the WTT Tour, alongside events in China, Singapore, and Europe. This year's tournament runs from 3/7 to 13/7, with the main draw commencing today, 6/7. However, the organizers did not equip the venue with the hawk-eye system used in some other sports. Consequently, the umpire's decisions were final.

World number three and reigning World Cup champion Hugo Calderano is absent from this year's tournament due to visa issues. Other top players are participating, including Lin Shidong, Wang Chuqin, and Sun Yingsha.

Compiled by Xuan Binh