BEIJING, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- World No. 1 Wang Manyu cruised into the second round of the WTT China Smash 2026 on Sunday, as 10 Chinese players advanced on the opening day.
Fresh from winning the women's singles title at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games just one week ago, Wang needed only 15 minutes to sweep Amy Wang of the United States 3-0 (11-3, 11-4, 11-8). She will next face Indian wild card Manika Batra.
"After the Asian Games, I took two days to recover before coming to the China Smash. I had to get my physical condition back on track within a short period. I'm feeling a little fatigued and I'm still adjusting," she said.
Wang Yidi of China edged Austria's Sofia Polcanova 3-2, while compatriot Chen Yi defeated Peng Yu-han of Chinese Taipei 3-1.
"I played well today. I had the lead in both the second and fourth games, but at times I was too hasty in handling the ball. My opponent is very tall and plays some shots with heavy spin. I made too many unforced errors. I should have taken my time and played with more composure," Wang Yidi said.
China's Fan Shuhan swept India's Sreeja Akula 3-0 and will meet sixth seed Hina Hayata of Japan in the next round, while teammate Shi Xunyao defeated Yang Ha-eun of South Korea 3-0. Chinese qualifier Wang Xiaotong and wild card He Zhuojia also secured victories over their respective German opponents to set up an all-Chinese clash in the next round.
In the men's singles, 13th seed Wen Ruibo of China defeated Romanian qualifier Iulian Chirita 3-1 to book his place in the second round.
"Having just returned from the Asian Games, I haven't been in the best form. I needed a win to regain my confidence, and I'm very grateful for the team's encouragement," said the 19-year-old Wen.
"The disappointment at the Asian Games has affected me somewhat. This is my third appearance at the China Smash. I was eliminated in the first round twice before, so I'm glad to have advanced this time. I'll stay focused on the matches ahead," he added.
Chinese wild card Huang Youzheng fought back from 2-1 down to defeat South Korea's Lim Jong-hoon 3-2. Huang will next face Lin Yun-ju of Chinese Taipei, who defeated Wong Chun Ting of Hong Kong, China.
"After winning the first game, my mindset fluctuated. I tried to play more cautiously, but that gave my opponent opportunities to counterattack, and then I lost the next two games," Huang said. "The key point of winning is that even when my opponent reached match point, I didn't lose heart. I just focused on winning one point at a time."
China's Yuan Licen also advanced in the men's singles, defeating Portugal's Joao Geraldo 3-1.
Yuan also teamed up with Wang Yidi in the mixed doubles, where the Chinese pair edged Germany's Patrick Franziska and Puerto Rico's Adriana Diaz 3-2 in a hard-fought opening match. They will next face compatriots Huang Youzheng and Chen Yi, the fourth seeds.
"Our victory was unexpected. We were trailing by a big margin in the fifth game, but we refused to give up and fought for every point," Wang Yidi said. "This is only our second time competing in mixed doubles at a major tournament, so we still need to communicate and discuss our tactics more effectively."
Sun Yingsha of China will take on Chinese Taipei's Yeh Yi-tian in the women's singles first round on Monday, while fourth seed Kuai Man of China will face Doo Hoi Kem of Hong Kong, China. ■
