SINGAPORE, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The 2026 World Table Tennis Singapore Smash began its main draw on Sunday, with China's Wang Chuqin, Lin Shidong, Zhou Qihao, Chen Xingtong, Wang Manyu and Chen Yi advancing to the round of 32.
In the men's singles, Wang Chuqin led a quartet of Chinese paddlers into action, with three progressing to the next round. Wang needed just 23 minutes to dispatch Australia's Finn Luu 3-0 and will next take on Japan's Shunsuke Togami.
Lin defeated Japan's Hiroto Shinozuka 3-1, clinching a tense fourth game 14-12. Zhou bounced back from a first-game loss to Nigeria's Quadri Aruna to take the next three games and win 3-1. Young prospect Wen Ruibo, however, fell 3-0 to South Korea's Jang Woo-jin and failed to reach the round of 32.
On the women's side, Chen Xingtong survived a five-game battle against South Korea's qualifier Yang Ha-eun, prevailing 3-2 to record her 100th career win. Wang Manyu cruised past Singapore's Zeng Jian 11-3, 11-4, 11-1. Chen Yi defeated Austria's Sofia Polcanova 3-1. Qin Yuxuan, meanwhile, lost her opener 3-0 to Japan's Honoka Hashimoto.
Half of the round of 32 line-up in both men's and women's singles was decided on Sunday, the opening day of the main draw competition. ■
