TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwanese table tennis sensation Lin Yun-Ju (林昀儒) made a commanding statement in his International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Cup opener, dispatching China's Chan Chi In (陳梓賢) in a decisive straight-sets victory in Macao, China on Tuesday (April 15). The tournament, which commenced Monday, showcases 32 elite competitors divided into 16 groups for both men's and women's singles competitions. Lin's path now leads to a crucial matchup against Germany's Dimitrij Ovtcharov in the next round.
Lin, currently the world's 15th-ranked player, sits atop Group 14 after his impressive performance. He established early dominance by claiming the opening sets with lopsided scores of 11-1 and 11-4. Facing a brief 1-4 deficit in the third set, Lin demonstrated remarkable resilience, storming back to secure an 11-6 win before sealing the match with an 11-7 fourth-set triumph. His anticipated opponent, Dimitrij Ovtcharov, ranks 23rd globally. Lin holds a favorable 6-3 career record against the German veteran, though Ovtcharov notably defeated Lin in their emotionally charged Tokyo Olympics bronze medal showdown.
The opening day proved triumphant for Taiwan's entire contingent, with four additional players securing victories in their respective matches. Feng Yi-Hsin (馮翊新) delivered a standout performance but now confronts a formidable challenge against France's sixth-ranked Félix Lebrun. Kao Cheng-Jui (高承睿) advances to face Slovenia's Darko Jorgic, while on the women's side, Chien Tung-Chuan (簡彤娟) prepares for a daunting matchup against world number one Sun Ying-sha of China. Huang Yi-Hua (黃怡樺) will battle Japan's Mima Ito, and Cheng I-Ching (鄭怡靜) rounds out Taiwan's schedule against South Korea's Kim Na-Young. ★