Sun Yingsha reacts during the women's singles 1st round match between Sun Yingsha of China and Natalia Bajor of Poland at 2024 World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash in Beijing, China, on Sept. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)
BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Top-seeded Chinese paddler Sun Yingsha defeated Natalia Bajor of Poland 11-7, 11-1, 11-8 to cruise into the women's singles last 32, as the main draw of World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash kicked off on Sunday.
The opening ceremony of WTT China Smash was staged ahead of the match between Sun and Bajor. A famous song "Welcome to Beijing" written for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games brought the atmosphere in the venue to the climax.
The 27-year-old Bajor took an upper hand at the beginning of the first set before Sun adjusted quickly to rally past and seal an 11-7 win. In the following two sets, the Chinese favorite maintained the momentum and clinched the victory in straight sets.
"This is the first time for Beijing to host WTT Smash. I feel pretty good in the first-round match with the warm support from the crowd. I hope to make progress match after match to further improve my performance," Sun, 23, said after the game.
On Sunday evening, top-ranked Wang Chuqin, world No. 4 Wang Yidi, and Mima Ito of Japan will make their appearances at the tournament held in Beijing's Shougang Park. ■
Sun Yingsha (R) greets Natalia Bajor after the women's singles 1st round match between Sun Yingsha of China and Natalia Bajor of Poland at 2024 World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash in Beijing, China, on Sept. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)
Sun Yingsha competes during the women's singles 1st round match between Sun Yingsha of China and Natalia Bajor of Poland at 2024 World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash in Beijing, China, on Sept. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)
Natalia Bajor competes during the women's singles 1st round match between Sun Yingsha of China and Natalia Bajor of Poland at 2024 World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash in Beijing, China, on Sept. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Sun Yingsha competes during the women's singles 1st round match between Sun Yingsha of China and Natalia Bajor of Poland at 2024 World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash in Beijing, China, on Sept. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Sun Yingsha (R) reacts during the women's singles 1st round match between Sun Yingsha of China and Natalia Bajor of Poland at 2024 World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash in Beijing, China, on Sept. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
Sun Yingsha reacts after the women's singles 1st round match between Sun Yingsha of China and Natalia Bajor of Poland at 2024 World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash in Beijing, China, on Sept. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)
Sun Yingsha enters the court before the women's singles 1st round match between Sun Yingsha of China and Natalia Bajor of Poland at 2024 World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash in Beijing, China, on Sept. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)
Steve Dainton, International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Group CEO and World Table Tennis (WTT) director, delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the 2024 World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash in Beijing, China, Sept. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)
