On July 25, 2025, the second phase of the 2025 China Table Tennis Super League commenced in Xiamen, Fujian province. Lin Shidong, representing the athletes, took the oath as the day's matches began with four exciting contests.
The women's team witnessed a fierce battle as Sun Yingsha teamed up with Miu Hirano for the first time, helping Shenzhen University sweep Chengdu Ruoshui 3-0. Despite no prior practice together, their solid foundations in singles and impressive doubles skills secured a thrilling victory.
In the men's spotlight match, Wang Chuqin led Shandong Weiqiao to a convincing 3-0 win over Lin Gaoyuan's team from Shantou Mingrun. Meanwhile, Fan Zhendong achieved a remarkable feat this season by defeating world number one Lin Shidong twice, guiding Shanghai Real Estate to a 3-1 victory over Huangshi Base. In a showdown between underdog teams, Jiangsu Zhongchao Cable and Anhui Zhongcheng battled fiercely, with Anhui narrowly edging out Jiangsu 3-2.
Here's a detailed report on the latest matches from the first day of the second phase of the China Table Tennis Super League:
Sun Yingsha and Miu Hirano, without any prior joint practice, took on women's doubles. Miu Hirano's nerves were palpable, but their strong singles background and doubles expertise eventually secured a hard-fought victory. After winning the first doubles match, Shenzhen University dominated the subsequent singles matches. Despite being pushed to the limit in a full-game decider, Miu Hirano displayed remarkable composure and control. Her two singles victories temporarily put her at the top of the foreign players' performance chart.
1. Sun Yingsha / Miu Hirano defeated Li Yuqi / Xiang Junlin 3-2 (9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 11-3).
2. Tan Yuxuan defeated Gao Yuxin 3-1 (11-6, 10-12, 11-9, 11-5).
3. Miu Hirano defeated Xiang Junlin 3-2 (9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7).
In the first phase of the league, injuries prevented Wen Ruibo from competing, and scheduling conflicts kept foreign player Guo Yong from attending due to WTT events. However, this time in Xiamen, Anhui Zhongcheng finally assembled their full team.
Wen Ruibo showed consistency, securing victories in both men's doubles and singles matches, laying a solid foundation for his team. Meanwhile, Jiangsu Zhongchao Cable's rising star Li Tianyang unexpectedly shone bright. His adept chop and attack style led to victories over the standout players from the first phase, including Niu Guankai and Singapore's top player Guo Yong, nearly becoming a turning point in the match. Li Tianyang thus became the first local player to defeat a foreign player in the second phase of the league, gaining widespread recognition for his secret weapon.
In a decisive match, Niu Guankai finally regained his form, delivering a 3-0 victory over Song Zhuoheng and achieving the first upset of the second phase, crucially helping his team secure a key win.
1. Song Zhuoheng / Liang Yanyou lost to Wen Ruibo / Guo Yong 0-3 (10-12, 9-11, 8-11).
2. Li Tianyang defeated Niu Guankai 3-2 (11-9, 6-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-8).
3. Liang Yanyou lost to Wen Ruibo 0-3 (8-11, 12-14, 10-12).
4. Li Tianyang defeated Guo Yong 3-1 (8-11, 14-12, 12-10, 11-2).
5. Song Zhuoheng lost to Niu Guankai 0-3 (5-11, 4-11, 7-11).
Lin Gaoyuan's strategic withdrawal against Wang Chuqin made the showdown between Shandong Weiqiao and Shantou Mingrun largely predictable. Despite facing a tough challenge from Xu Haidong, Wang Chuqin maintained absolute control throughout, albeit losing two games due to his pursuit of stylish play.
In other matches, Liang Jingkun first paired with Lin Yunru to easily defeat Lin Gaoyuan / Chen Yuanyu, then won 3-2 in singles against Chen Yuanyu, contributing valuable points to the Shanghai Real Estate team.
In the pinnacle clash between Xiao Shitou and Fan Zhendong, Fan Zhendong swept 3-0, extending his winning streak from the first phase (3-2) to the second phase (3-0) and achieving a double victory over world number one Lin Shidong. However, Lin Shidong held his ground in every game, with each match going down to the wire, showcasing intense and thrilling moments. Fan Zhendong's undefeated streak now extends to 8 matches in the league, leaving fans curious about when this dominance will come to an end.
Later, although Xiao Shitou managed to win back one game, Lin Shidong suffered an unexpected defeat against Zhao Zihao's direct and fast attacks, a rare occurrence for Xiao Shitou in the China Table Tennis Super League.
1. Xue Fei / Xiang Peng lost to Zhao Zihao / Zhou Kai 2-3 (5-11, 11-8, 11-7, 10-12, 5-11).
2. Lin Shidong lost to Fan Zhendong 0-3 (10-12, 10-12, 9-11).
3. Xiang Peng defeated Zhou Kai 3-0 (11-7, 11-9, 11-9).
4. Lin Shidong lost to Zhao Zihao 1-3 (11-6, 7-11, 9-11, 11-13).
This detailed recap captures the excitement and competitive spirit of the first day's matches in the second phase of the China Table Tennis Super League.
