China’s women’s table tennis team defeated Japan 3-2 in the World Team Championships final on May 10 in London. Wang Manyu expressed gratitude to Sun Yingsha for giving her the chance to redeem herself after a tough start.
Wang Manyu lost the opening match 2-3 to Miwa Harimoto, while Kuai Man also fell in the third match. Sun Yingsha won both the second and fourth matches, leveling the score twice for China. In the decisive fifth match, Wang Manyu defeated Hina Hayata, securing a comeback victory for the Chinese team.
Reflecting on the final, Wang Manyu said, “The match was incredibly tense and brutal. In the first match against Miwa Harimoto, I carried too much pressure and didn’t fully release myself, especially in the first two games. Her playing style was very aggressive and risky. Falling behind 0-2 made it very difficult to turn the game around. I managed to push it to a fifth set, but I couldn’t fully open up, giving her too many opportunities to attack.”
“Fortunately, Sun Yingsha remained a stabilizer for our team, holding the line during both deficits. I am very grateful to her for giving me the chance to step up in the fifth match and seek redemption. I’m also incredibly happy to finally win the championship,” Wang added.
Sun Yingsha praised Wang Manyu’s ability to overcome the early loss and perform under pressure in the deciding match, highlighting her strong mental resilience and willpower. (Reported by Ma Bangjie and Hang Rui)
