Planet No.1s Fan Zhendong (left) and Sun Yingsha won the men’s and women’s singles titles respectively at the 2023 WTT Singapore Smash tournament. (PHOTO: WTT)

SINGAPORE — China’s Fan Zhendong and Sun Yingsha underlined their supremacies as planet No.1 paddlers, winning the men’s and women’s singles titles respectively at the WTT Singapore Smash tournament at OCBC Arena on Sunday (19 March).

Fan, 26, retained the men’s singles title with an 11-five, 13-11, eight-11, 11-9, 11-9 victory more than compatriot and lengthy-time rival Ma Extended, although 22-year-old Sun registered her 16th consecutive singles victory in all competitions with a 11-7, ten-12, 13-11, 11-six, 11-7 win more than compatriot Qian Tianyi.

Sun hence won her 1st Singapore Smash women’s singles title, adding it to her women’s doubles title won with Wang Manyu on Saturday as nicely as the mixed doubles title with Wang Chuqin on Thursday.

“General I’m extremely satisfied with my functionality for this occasion. It is the 1st time I’ve won all 3 titles and it is a validation for myself,” she mentioned immediately after her singles win.

“Getting played in all 3 categories for this occasion, I really feel that I’ve dealt with it nicely. I was not also tired, even towards the tail finish of the occasion, and was in a position to carry out nicely. It is crucial for me to prepare my physique to deal with all the competitions and events that come my way and I will continue to do my very best.”

As for the ordinarily stoic Fan, he had a uncommon show of feelings immediately after his singles win more than Ma, pumping his fists immediately after regaining his winning kind immediately after a significantly less-than-best get started to the new season.

“There had been a couple of occasions now exactly where I was lagging mid-game but I didn’t give up and ended up winning the games,” he mentioned.

“The challenges had been there but the reward is enormous. Tonight is not just about winning the title but also a enormous self-confidence increase for me.”

On the occasion sidelines, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and Sport Singapore (SportSG) have signed a memorandum of understanding to kickstart discussions for the world’s 1st “Residence of Table Tennis” hub in the city-state to raise the profile of the sport inside the Singapore and the area.

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