The "fighter" on the table tennis court: Sun Yingsha
At the just-concluded 2024 WTT Saudi Arabia Grand Slam, Chinese table tennis star Sun Yingsha once again showed her unparalleled strength. As a world-ranked women's singles player, Sun Yingsha not only made great progress in the singles event in this event, but also defeated a strong opponent in the mixed doubles event with teammate Wang Chuqin, and finally advanced to the final. Sun Yingsha's outstanding performance once again sparked heated discussions among fans and experts, and people praised her as an "invulnerable" fighter in today's table tennis world.
Singles event: excellent technical and psychological quality
In the singles event, Sun Yingsha showcased her unrivalled technical prowess. In the first round against Chinese Taipei veteran Liu Xinyin, Sun Yingsha swept her opponent 11-7, 11-4, 11-4 in only three games and easily advanced to the next round. In the round of the game, Sun Yingsha encountered stubborn resistance from Serbia's Isabella Luprescu, but finally won with an aggregate score of 3-1.
Entering the quarterfinals, Sun Yingsha faced South Korea's Tian Zhixi. In the opening two games, Sun Yingsha played high-quality offense and defense of 11-4 and 11-1 to stretch the score to a 2-0 lead. In the game, Tian Zhixi increased his offensive efforts, Sun Yingsha was not to be outdone, the two sides launched a fierce offensive and defensive battle on the stage, and finally Sun Yingsha won the tiebreaker 11-5, and swept the opponent with a total score of 3-0.
After the game, commentator Guo Yan spoke highly of Sun Yingsha's performance: "Sun Yingsha was in very good shape today, her first three board attacks were sharp and powerful, and her serving strategy was also used properly. She always finds a way to score points in key points, which is a huge confidence boost. ＂
In addition to her outstanding skills, Sun Yingsha's composure and on-the-spot adaptability in the game are also impressive. In the quarterfinals, Sun Yingsha was challenged by compatriot Qian Tianyi. In the first game, Sun Yingsha played an 11-0 "shaved head" score, 11-6 in the game, 11-3 in the game, and once led 3-0. However, then Qian Tianyi found his form and won two games in a row to chase the total score to 2-3.
At the critical moment, Sun Yingsha did not relent, and finally won the tiebreaker 11-6, defeating Qian Tianyi with a total score of 4-2. In the post-match interview, Sun Yingsha humbly said: "Qian Tianyi is an excellent opponent, her style of play is varied, and I need to constantly adjust my strategy in the game. The final victory over her depends on the tacit cooperation accumulated by our long-term training. ＂
Mixed doubles: Join hands with Wang Chuqin to overcome strong opponents
In addition to her outstanding performance in the singles event, Sun Yingsha is also a well-deserved main force in the mixed doubles event. She and teammate Wang Chuqin faced Japan's Tomotoshi Zhang and Hina Hayada in the semi-finals. The strength of the Japanese pair should not be underestimated, with Tomotoshi Haramoto having won the Olympic and World Cup titles, and Hina Hayada also being a regular in the Japanese national team.
As soon as the game began, the two sides engaged in a fierce tug-of-war. Sun Yingsha and Wang Chuqin finally defeated their opponents 3-0 with a total score of 12-10, 11-9, 12-10 and advanced to the finals with tacit cooperation and on-the-spot adaptability. After the game, Sun Yingsha said: "We can always find the right way to score at critical moments, which is a huge boost to our confidence. ＂
A "fighter" in the eyes of his teammates
In this Grand Slam tournament, Sun Yingsha not only showed excellent skills and excellent psychological quality, but also won the praise of her teammates with her professional attitude. Teammate Qian Tianyi commented on Sun Yingsha in an interview: "Sun Yingsha is like a 'fighter', no matter what opponent she encounters, she can concentrate and devote 100% to the game." Her style of play is flexible, her attack is full of power, and her defense is extremely tough, making her a tough opponent. ＂
Teammate Wang Manyu also sincerely praised Sun Yingsha's professionalism: "Sun Yingsha treats every game seriously and focused, and never relaxes because of the strength of the opponent. She maintains a high level of concentration at all times, and this professional attitude is worth learning from. ＂