WTT Finals open in Hong Kong with world-class clashes

The World Table Tennis Finals opened yesterday at the Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Hom, drawing enthusiastic local support, with fans filling the stands well before the first serve.

The five-day tournament marks the final stop on the WTT calendar and features men’s and women’s singles and mixed doubles, bringing together some of the sport’s strongest competitors in a showcase of international talent.

Opening-day action showcased intense mixed doubles encounters. Japan’s Sora Matsushima and Miwa Harimoto edged out Spain’s Alvaro Robles and Maria Xiao in a tightly contested match, winning 11-9, 11-9, and 15-13.

In another Group B clash, a South Korean duo claimed a straight-sets victory over their Brazilian opponents.

Hong Kong’s Wong Chun-ting and Doo Hoi-kem saw strong home support when facing China’s Lin Shidong and Kuai Man in their first group-stage match but fell 0-3.

China’s top-ranked men’s and women’s singles players, Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, paired up in mixed doubles against India’s Manush Shah and Diya Chitale, securing a commanding 3-0 victory to open their campaign.

The atmosphere inside the Coliseum reflected the city’s passion for the sport.
One retiree who came to cheer for Doo Hoi-kem said she valued “the players’ performance more than the result.” Her friend, a longtime supporter of the Chinese national team since the 1980s, said watching both the China and Hong Kong teams compete on home soil was “worth every dollar,” even with higher ticket prices.

Among the spectators was a fan from Guangdong who traveled specifically to support Taiwan’s Lin Yun-ju, describing him as a “silent assassin” for his calm demeanor and precision on the court. She praised the Hong Kong Coliseum’s facilities and accessibility, expressing hope that more major sporting events would be staged in the city.