On Sunday in Macao SAR, at the 15th National Games hosted by the Chinese mainland, Paris Olympics champion Fan Zhendong successfully defended his men's singles table tennis title🏓. He survived a nervy start, trailing 9-4 in Game 1, before rattling off seven straight points to take it 11-9. After dropping the second 11-8 to Hainan's 20-year-old sensation Lin Shidong, Fan dialled up the pressure and closed out with 11-5, 11-3 and 11-4 wins to seal a 4-1 victory.
Meanwhile, Wang retained her women's singles crown in style, marking back-to-back triumphs and showing why she's a table tennis force to be reckoned with 🎉.
From university sports halls in Chennai to late-night streaming sessions in Manila, fans across South Asia and Southeast Asia have been buzzing over these epic finals. It's proof that the thrill of an underdog comeback and a champion's composure transcends borders.
Looking ahead, the table tennis calendar is heating up, with the 2026 Asian Games on the horizon. If Sunday's showdown is anything to go by, we're in for more heart-stopping rallies and buzzer-beater moments 🏓🔥.
Reference(s):
Fan, Wang retain table tennis singles championships at National Games
cgtn.com
