TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's men's and women's table tennis teams displayed overwhelming dominance on Thursday (July 17) at the 2025 FISU Summer World University Games, often called the "University Olympics," currently underway in Germany's Rhine-Ruhr region. The squads stormed into the round of 16 with flawless group stage performances. Each team secured two consecutive victories without surrendering a single game to their international opponents.
Star player Kao Cheng-Jui (高承睿) spearheaded the men's team effort alongside teammates Feng Yi-Hsin (馮翊新), Chang Ping-Cheng (張秉丞), and Huang Yen-Cheng (黃彥誠), orchestrating a decisive 3-0 victory against Ireland in their tournament opener. The squad maintained their perfect record with another commanding 3-0 triumph over Macau in an early morning contest. Their dominant performances cemented Taiwan's position atop their group and demonstrated the island nation's continued excellence in the sport.
The women's contingent matched this impressive showing under the leadership of Chien Tung-Chuan (簡彤娟), who guided her squad featuring Huang Yu-jie (黃愉偼), Cheng Pu-Hsuan (鄭樸璿), and Tsai Yun-en (蔡昀恩) to a commanding 3-0 victory over Chile in Group 5 competition. The formidable trio of Cheng, Tsai, and Huang continued their momentum by dismantling Australia with another perfect 3-0 result in their second match. Their dominant performances secured their advancement as group leaders and positioned them as serious medal contenders in the tournament.
Taiwan's men's squad enters the elimination rounds carrying the weight of considerable expectations. They have established a remarkable legacy with medal finishes in six consecutive Universiades since 2011, including silver medals in the two most recent competitions. The women's team harbors equally ambitious goals, seeking to improve upon their previous best performances of silver medals achieved in the 2013 and 2015 editions of the global university championships. Both teams now turn their attention to the knockout stages, where they hope to maintain their flawless form and convert their group stage dominance into podium finishes. ◼