Thrills and spills at the China Smash

The world's top table tennis players will fight for 2000 world ranking points at the 2024 World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash, the highest-level event in WTT, as its draw ceremony for the main event was held on Friday in Beijing. 

"The world's best players are gathered here, from Olympic champions to rising stars, each ready to leave their mark on this historic event. From the first serve to the final point, every match will be a testament to the grit, skill, and resilience of these athletes," said WTT CEO Steve Dainton in an interview with the Global Times.

In a Chinese derby qualifying match on Friday, Liu Weishan, a member of the Chinese national team and the WTT regular challenge women's doubles champion, defeated her teammate Yang Yiyun 3-0 to advance smoothly.

After the match, Liu Weishan told the Global Times that the two players knew each other quite well, and she attributed her victory to her mindset. She noted that she performed well by being more patient on the court, thinking less about the result and focusing on doing her best.

Outside of the competition, Lars Graff, the joint tournament director of the China Tennis Open, visited the venue. The competitive teams from the two top international tournaments discussed their experiences in hosting events.

"I believe that more young people will enjoy the WTT table tennis events, as the color schemes and atmosphere in the venues are very appealing. Compared to tennis, the audience for table tennis is becoming younger," Graff noted.

He believes that table tennis and tennis have much to learn and collaborate on, especially in areas such as sponsorship. He looks forward to seeing table tennis promoted better around the world through the development of WTT.

"I love the table tennis events in China, not only for the exciting matches but also for the vibrant atmosphere. I hope to see more young players like Sun Yingsha leading the development of this sport, helping table tennis gain broader recognition and appreciation worldwide!" a fan of Sun Yingsha told our reporters.

At the WTT merchandise store, enthusiastic fans crowded the venue. The limited-release "plantable seed badges" sold out quickly, while staff explained that the two types of table tennis paddle badges were also very popular among customers.