China sweeps into WTT Europe Smash semis, clinches mixed doubles title

HELSINKI, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- China captured the mixed doubles title and saw one man and four women advance to the singles semifinals at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Europe Smash in Malmo, Sweden, on Friday.

In the women's singles quarterfinals, top seed Sun Yingsha beat Japan's Mima Ito 4-1, while Chen Yi overcame Germany's Sabine Winter with the same score. Shi Xunyao swept Japan's Satsuki Odo 4-0, and Wang Manyu edged Japan's Honoka Hashimoto 4-2 after an intense six-game battle. All four advanced to the semifinals.

On the men's side, world No. 1 Lin Shidong cruised past Germany's Qiu Dang 4-0 to reach the semifinals.

Lin also teamed up with Kuai Man to claim the mixed doubles crown with a 3-0 win over South Korea's Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin.

In the men's doubles semifinals, Lin and 20-year-old Huang Youzheng eased past Singapore's Quek Izaac and Pang Koen 3-0 to set up a final against Wong Chun Ting and Chan Baldwin of Hong Kong, China. In the women's doubles, Sun and Wang Manyu beat South Korea's Kim Na-yeong and Ryu Han-na 3-0 and will face Japan in the final on Saturday.

The 2025 WTT Europe Smash, the first Grand Smash event held in Europe, runs from August 14 to 24 in Malmo, featuring the men's and women's singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. ■