On October 2, Beijing time, another all-China clash unfolded at the WTT China Grand Slam. World No. 1 and Olympic star Sun Yingsha took on her teammate, world No. 43 Wang Xiaotong. Although Wang had impressed in the earlier rounds, Sun’s superior level was unquestionable. In the end, Sun secured a comfortable 3–0 win to advance to the women’s singles quarterfinals and continue her title quest. Full details below.
【Match Highlights】
Both Sun Yingsha and Wang Xiaotong were born in 2000, but their positions within the national team differ greatly. Sun has long occupied the No. 1 spot in the world rankings. She is a two-time Olympic silver medalist in singles, a two-time World Championships gold medalist, and a two-time World Cup champion. Just this year alone, she has already claimed six international titles, with her ranking points surpassing 10,000—far ahead of any other women’s player.
Wang Xiaotong, currently ranked No. 43, achieved her best result in the past year by reaching the final of a lower-level feeder event. However, her performance at this tournament has been commendable. She swept Japanese star Miyuu Nagasaki 3–0 in the first round and then beat Egyptian rising star Hana Goda 3–1 in the second. Even so, Sun’s strength was clearly on another level compared to Wang’s previous opponents, making her task of advancing in this round extremely difficult.
【Match Process】
The opening game was fiercely contested, with Wang going all out despite being the underdog. She managed to put Sun under some pressure, but once rallies extended, the Olympic champion showed her superiority. After gradually taking control in the middle stages, Sun closed out the game 11–7 to take the early lead.
In the second game, Sun once again built an early lead, though Wang kept close on the scoreboard. However, just like in the first game, Wang faltered midway through. Sun quickly raced ahead, earning five game points, and sealed it 11–5 to go up 2–0, putting victory within touching distance.
The third game followed a similar script. Sun surged to a 5–3 lead, forcing Wang to call a timeout. But the break did little to help—Wang lost five straight points to fall further behind. Though she managed to claw back two points, Sun reached 10–5 with match points in hand. She converted on the very next rally, winning 11–5 to complete the clean sweep and secure her place in the quarterfinals.
