Favourites Shidong and Chuqin cruise at Worlds

Doha, Qatar: Title favourites Lin Shidong and Wang Chuqin advanced with impressive wins as seeded players continued to fall on another exhilarating da...

Doha, Qatar: Title-favourites Lin Shidong and Wang Chuqin advanced with impressive wins as seeded players continued to fall on another exhilarating day at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 at the Lusail Sports Hall and Qatar University yesterday.

The men’s singles title contenders, World No.1 Shidong, two-time Olympic Chuqin, along with women’s second seed Wang Manyu and third seed Chen Xingtong – all representing China – stayed on course for the finals.

Men’s top seed Shidong had the better of Hong Kong’s Lam Siu Hang 4-0 (11-9, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6) to book a Round of 32 clash with Swede Kristian Karlsson who had earlier dispatched Spaniard Alvaro Robles 4-0 (11-7, 11-8, 13-11, 11-9).

World No. 2 Chuqin also advanced similarly, overpowering Hong Kong veteran Wong Chun Ting (12-10, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7) victory over the 33-year-old Hong Kong veteran.