World number one Wang Chuqin had yet to secure a World Cup title. After three previous attempts, the 25-year-old finally broke the jinx, winning a 73-minute final against Sora Matsushima.

Wang Chuqin (left) and Sun Yingsha with their men's and women's singles titles at the table tennis World Cup in Macau, China, on the evening of 5/4. Photo: ITTF.

The final was a closely contested match, befitting a championship. Matsushima started stronger, securing the first set 11-9. Wang responded with a thrilling 18-16 victory in the second set, a psychological turning point, helping the Chinese player regain composure.

Matsushima, however, held his own. He consistently applied pressure, leveling the score and even taking the lead, creating a tense, back-and-forth battle that extended to the decisive set. There, Wang displayed the resolve of a world number one, accelerating at the crucial moment to win 11-8, securing the match 4-3 (9-11, 18-16, 11-8, 11-13, 8-11, 11-4, 11-8).

Wang's path to the title was challenging. In the quarter-finals, he trailed Darko Jorgic 3-1 before mounting a comeback to win 4-3. He then demonstrated his class in the semi-finals, overcoming defending champion Hugo Calderano with a 4-1 victory.

This Macau title completes a significant missing piece in Wang's career. The Chinese player now only needs an Olympic men's singles gold medal to achieve a "Grand Slam," a goal he is aiming for at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Matsushima's performance, despite the loss, holds positive significance for Japanese table tennis. He became the second player from his country to reach a World Cup final, following Tomokazu Harimoto in 2019. Calderano and Lin Yun-Ju earned the two bronze medals.

In women's singles, Sun Yingsha reaffirmed her number one status. She defeated teammate Wang Manyu 4-1 (11-9, 11-8, 13-11, 8-11, 11-7) in the final, securing her third consecutive World Cup title.

This victory propelled Sun into history as the first female player to win three consecutive World Cups, an achievement that also matched Fan Zhendong's record in the men's event from 2018-2020.

Despite the 4-1 final score, the match was far from one-sided. Wang Manyu posed significant challenges for Sun, particularly in the third set where both players fiercely contested every point before Sun secured a 13-11 win. Manyu then responded with an 11-8 victory in the fourth set, keeping her hopes of a comeback alive.

At the crucial moment, however, Sun's resolve and experience proved decisive. She controlled the pace and capitalized on opportunities, winning 11-7 in the fifth set to conclude the final.

Sun's title defense was also challenging. In the quarter-finals, she saved two match points against Hana Goda in a seven-set encounter, which stood as the longest match of the tournament.

Xuan Binh