Sun Yingsha reversed to win the championship, Wang Manyu lost another chance, who will win the World Cup?
The 2024 ITTF World Cup is in full swing in Shanghai. As the year-end finals of table tennis, the World Cup has always been a stage for table tennis players to compete for the highest honor of the year. The Chinese team sent a strong lineup of women's singles players Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu, who have achieved good results this year, all the way to the finals, ready to compete in their hometowns.
As soon as the final began, Sun Yingsha fell into passivity. Wang Manyu played quite tenaciously and served very threateningly, and Sun Yingsha was repeatedly pinched by her opponent's spinning ball in the first two games, and her attack was weak, falling behind 8-11, 7-11. Faced with the 0-2 dilemma, Sun Yingsha was not discouraged, she adjusted her state and played more decisively in the game, making the score 1-2.
In the game, Sun Yingsha played better, her serve was appropriate, and her offense became more aggressive, and she soon equalized the overall score at 11-6. When it came to the decisive game, the two played inextricably, and the score kept taking the lead alternately, and finally Sun Yingsha defeated Wang Manyu 11-9 and won the championship.
After the match, Sun Yingsha couldn't hide her excitement, she said: "I am extremely proud to win the championship in my hometown. In the final, I started very passively, Manyu played very well, and I could only bite the score point by point. Fortunately, I gradually got better and showed my strength. ＂
Sun Yingsha also spoke highly of Wang Manyu: "Manyu is in very good shape this year, she is very tenacious, which has caused a lot of pressure on me. We're the same age, we're old rivals on the pitch and she did really well today. ＂
The national team coaching staff also affirmed the performance of the two. Zhang Yining, the head of the coaching staff, said: "Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu are both top players in the world table tennis today, and their showdown can be described as wonderful. Sun Yingsha handled well at the critical moment and gave full play to her advantages; And Wang Manyu played at a very high level, but there was a slight regret in the last game. They all deserve admiration. ＂
At the post-match press conference, Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu were interviewed by the media. Asked how she felt about winning the title, Sun said: "Of course I am very happy to win in my hometown. But this is just the beginning, I will continue to work hard and strive for the next goal. ＂
When asked what her next goal is, Sun Yingsha smiled and said, "That's next year's Paris Olympics." To win gold for my country at a top event like the Olympics is my biggest dream. ＂
For Wang Manyu, the opponent in this final, Sun Yingsha also gave a high evaluation. "Manyu is playing very well, she's already a world-class player. We're the same age, and there will be more duels in the future, so I'm looking forward to competing with her on a higher stage." ＂
Wang Manyu expressed some regrets about his performance. "In the decider, I was a little anxious and didn't take my chances. But Sun Yingsha did play better, and she deserved it. Speaking of the grievances with Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu also said: "We have been opponents since we were children, and we are already familiar with each other's playing styles. She's a strong opponent and I'm going to keep working hard and look forward to having more exciting matchups with her." ＂
The national team coaching staff is also very pertinent in their assessment of the two. "Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu have both shown a very high level, and they are the future of Chinese table tennis. Zhang Yining, the head of the coaching staff, said, "Sun Yingsha handled the deciding game very well, reflecting the calm characteristics of the competition; Wang Manyu played at a very high level, but the last bit of luck was not good. They will all be the backbone of the future Olympic Games. ＂
Regarding the historical status of Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu in the World Cup, Zhang Yining spoke highly of it. "Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu are both regulars at the World Cup, and they have already achieved a lot of great results in this event. ＂
"Sun Yingsha defeated Misei Ito in the World Cup final in 2022, and that time she hit an unforgettable and peerless goal. She won the title again this year, and it is already her second time at the World Cup. She has become a legend in the tournament. ＂
As for Wang Manyu, although she didn't win the title this year, she has created a lot of glory in the World Cup in the past few years. Zhang Yining said, "In 2021, she defeated Chen Meng in the final, when she was only 18 years old, and was considered the leader of the new generation of Chinese table tennis at that time. This year has been a bit of a disappointment, but she has proven herself to be a top-notch world-class player. I believe that she will have a wonderful performance in the future Olympic Games. ＂
Regarding the prospect of Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu winning gold at next year's Paris Olympics, Zhang Yining expressed full confidence. "They are the main players of the Chinese team and will be our most promising gold medalists at the Olympics. Sun Yingsha already holds an Olympic title, and Wang Manyu will be her strongest challenger. I believe that as long as they show their strengths, they will be able to achieve great results in the Olympic arena. ＂
The pinnacle duel between Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu, the "World Cup rivals", not only set off a wave of enthusiasm in the table tennis world, but also added infinite expectations to next year's Paris Olympics. As the leaders of the new generation of Chinese table tennis, they will surely be brilliant in the Olympic arena.