The 34th ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup 2025 group stage officially kicked off on the morning of Feb. 19 in Shenzhen. Three Chinese national team players—Sun Yingsha, Lin Shidong, and Chen Xingtong—delivered commanding 3-0 victories in their opening matches, securing an emphatic start to the tournament.

Sun Yingsha sweeps Chien Tung-chuan 3-0

In the women's singles opening match, Sun Yingsha claimed a straightforward 3-0 victory over Chien Tung-chuan, a player from Chinese Taipei. Sun quickly found her rhythm in the first game, winning 11-2 with a dominant performance. In the second game, she secured a 10-8 lead before Chien's error handed Sun an 11-8 win. The third game saw more errors from Chien, allowing Sun to close the match with an 11-6 win.

After the match, Sun expressed her satisfaction with her performance, saying, "This is my first time participating in the Asian Cup, but I've played in many competitions before. Coming off the WTT Singapore Smash, I feel in great physical condition and think I performed well." She also praised the atmosphere in Shenzhen, adding, "I'm very familiar with Shenzhen, and the cheers from the crowd were incredible. It made the match even more exciting for me. I hope to keep this momentum going in the upcoming matches."

Lin Shidong overpowers Wong Chun-ting 3-0

In the men's singles, world No. 1 Lin Shidong defeated Hong Kong's Wong Chun-ting with a 3-0 scoreline. The first game was neck-and-neck, tied at 5-5, before Wong made several errors, giving Lin an 11-7 win. Lin then dominated the second game with precise placement, winning 11-4, and sealed the match with an 11-3 victory in the third game.

Wong Chun-ting acknowledged Lin's strength in a post-match interview, saying, "Facing such a strong opponent in the first match, I wasn't at my best. Lin Shidong didn't give me any chances to showcase my game." He humorously added, "I only play against top-tier players," expressing his respect for the national team players while describing these matches as valuable learning opportunities.

Lin, on the other hand, downplayed his world No. 1 ranking, stating, "I just focused on playing my game. Wong performed well, and we're very familiar with each other since we train and compete together frequently." He emphasized his mindset of playing with determination in every match.

Wong also shared his connection to Shenzhen, saying the city feels like home. He revealed that his wife is from Shenzhen and that he often travels between Shenzhen and HK.

Chen Xingtong defeats Doo Hoi-kem 3-0

In the women's singles Group 4 match, Chen Xingtong faced HK's Doo Hoi-kem and emerged victorious with a 3-0 sweep. Chen utilized her defensive skills to win the first game and maintained a lead throughout the second, securing an 11-6 victory. In the third game, despite a close scoreline, Chen leveraged her serves to close the match with another 11-6 win.

After the match, Doo Hoi-kem reflected on her performance, noting that she and Chen are from the same age group and have a long history of competing against each other. "I only beat Chen once when we were young. Since then, the gap between us has grown. I really hope to train with the national team to narrow the gap."

Chen observed that Doo had extensive kinesiology tape on her hands, suggesting she might be dealing with injuries that affected her performance.

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