Wang, Chen Advance to WTT Champions Quarterfinals in Chongqing
Former World No. 1 Wang Chuqin progressed to the quarterfinals of the WTT Champions event in Chongqing, securing a 3-0 win against French player Alexis Lebrun on Friday night. Lebrun had recently delivered a noteworthy performance, reaching...
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Former World No. 1 Wang Chuqin progressed to the quarterfinals of the WTT Champions event in Chongqing, securing a 3-0 win against French player Alexis Lebrun on Friday night.
Lebrun had recently delivered a noteworthy performance, reaching the semifinals at last month’s Singapore Smash 2025, but his momentum was disrupted by Wang, who is keen to reclaim the top spot in the ITTF Table Tennis World Rankings after falling to World No. 2 following a remarkable 47-week reign at the pinnacle.
The match began with both players showcasing an aggressive playing style, but Wang quickly took the lead. Despite Lebrun's fierce competition and several thrilling rallies between the two, Wang capitalized on an opportunity toward the end of the first game to secure it 11-8.
In the second game, Wang initially led 9-5, but a series of errors allowed Lebrun to close the gap to a single point, prompting head coach Wang Hao to call a timeout. The tension escalated to an 11-all tie, where Wang executed a spectacular attack to claim the game 13-11, thereby taking a 2-0 lead.
As the third game commenced, both players were tied at 4-4. Wang effectively neutralized Lebrun's counterattacks, ultimately winning the game 11-6 and completing a 3-0 victory, which advances him to a quarterfinal match against Sweden’s world No. 7 Truls Moregard.
On the women’s side, Chen Xingtong overcame South Korea’s Shin Yu-bin. The first game was closely contested, with both players at 9-9 and then 10-10. However, the fourth-seeded Chen managed to withstand the pressure, launching an aggressive attack to score two points in a row and clinch the first game 12-10.
The second game saw Shin struggle with her returns, allowing Chen to tie the score at 8-8, which led Shin to call a timeout. Post-break, Chen adjusted her rhythm and regained her momentum, tallying three consecutive points to win the game 11-8. Chen then asserted her dominance in the third game, racing to an 8-0 lead before sealing the match 11-1 and advancing to the quarterfinals, where she will face fellow compatriot Kuai Man.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
Lebrun had recently delivered a noteworthy performance, reaching the semifinals at last month’s Singapore Smash 2025, but his momentum was disrupted by Wang, who is keen to reclaim the top spot in the ITTF Table Tennis World Rankings after falling to World No. 2 following a remarkable 47-week reign at the pinnacle.
The match began with both players showcasing an aggressive playing style, but Wang quickly took the lead. Despite Lebrun's fierce competition and several thrilling rallies between the two, Wang capitalized on an opportunity toward the end of the first game to secure it 11-8.
In the second game, Wang initially led 9-5, but a series of errors allowed Lebrun to close the gap to a single point, prompting head coach Wang Hao to call a timeout. The tension escalated to an 11-all tie, where Wang executed a spectacular attack to claim the game 13-11, thereby taking a 2-0 lead.
As the third game commenced, both players were tied at 4-4. Wang effectively neutralized Lebrun's counterattacks, ultimately winning the game 11-6 and completing a 3-0 victory, which advances him to a quarterfinal match against Sweden’s world No. 7 Truls Moregard.
On the women’s side, Chen Xingtong overcame South Korea’s Shin Yu-bin. The first game was closely contested, with both players at 9-9 and then 10-10. However, the fourth-seeded Chen managed to withstand the pressure, launching an aggressive attack to score two points in a row and clinch the first game 12-10.
The second game saw Shin struggle with her returns, allowing Chen to tie the score at 8-8, which led Shin to call a timeout. Post-break, Chen adjusted her rhythm and regained her momentum, tallying three consecutive points to win the game 11-8. Chen then asserted her dominance in the third game, racing to an 8-0 lead before sealing the match 11-1 and advancing to the quarterfinals, where she will face fellow compatriot Kuai Man.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
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