The Chinese women’s national table tennis team secured a decisive 3-0 victory over South Korea in the quarterfinals of the 2026 London World Table Tennis Championships on May 7, advancing to the semifinals with a clean sweep.
This marks the second time China has defeated South Korea in the tournament, having previously beaten them 3-0 in the group stage. In that earlier match, South Korea did not field their top player Shin Yubin, while China rested Wang Manyu. Despite South Korea fielding their strongest lineup this time, China’s depth and skill proved too much.
Wang Manyu opened the match against Shin Yubin, taking control early with aggressive play. She won the first game 11-1, then followed with two consecutive 11-4 victories to claim a 3-0 win and give China a 1-0 lead.
In the second match, world No. 1 Sun Yingsha faced rising South Korean star Kim Nayeong. After a tight start, Sun adapted quickly to win the first game 11-7. Kim responded by taking the second game 11-7, then won the third to go up 2-1. Sun called on her experience, winning the fourth game 11-4 to force a deciding fifth game. In a tense finale, Sun prevailed 11-9, putting China up 2-0.
Wang Yidi then closed out the tie against Park Gayeon. She won the first two games 11-5 and 11-3, dropped the third 12-10, but regrouped to win the fourth 11-2, securing a 3-0 overall victory for China.
The Chinese women’s team now awaits the winner of the match between France and Romania in the semifinals. Their journey to the quarterfinals included three straight 3-0 wins in group play against Romania, Chinese Taipei, and South Korea, followed by a 3-1 win over Poland and a 3-0 victory over Sweden in the knockout rounds. South Korea reached the quarterfinals by defeating Canada 3-0 and Singapore 3-1.