China’s National Team Sweeps Women’s Singles Gold & Silver! Wang Manyu Extends Her Streak to 10 Straight Wins Over Miwa Harimoto, While Wang Yidi Slips to World No. 7

At 1:00 PM (Beijing time) on February 8, the 2026 Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) Haikou Asian Cup staged the second women’s singles semifinal. In a high-level showdown, Wang Manyu defeated Japan’s star Miwa Harimoto 4–2 to book her place in the women’s singles final, where she will once again face teammate Sun Yingsha for the title. With that result, Team China has officially secured both the championship and runner-up spots in this year’s women’s singles event.

Wang Manyu 4–2 Miwa Harimoto
(7–11, 11–3, 14–12, 8–11, 11–8, 11–8)

This was the 10th meeting between the two players. Their most recent clash came at the 2025 Hong Kong Finals, where Wang also won 4–2. Continuing her steady and composed form, Wang prevailed again—extending her perfect head-to-head record to an emphatic 10 wins in 10 matches against Harimoto.

Harimoto came out firing, jumping to a 5–2 lead in the opening game. Wang struggled with unforced errors and fell behind 3–8, allowing Harimoto to close out the first set. In the second game, Wang responded immediately: after trailing 0–2, she went on a commanding run, rattling off nine straight points to seize control and level the match with ease.

The third game proved to be a thriller. Harimoto led 3–1 early, but Wang adjusted quickly and surged ahead 6–4. Momentum swung again as Harimoto reclaimed the lead, yet Wang held her nerve under pressure and edged it out in the tight finish. Game four was equally tense—locked at 3–3, then trading points all the way to 8–8—before Harimoto produced the stronger play on the critical points to tie the match at 2–2.

In game five, Wang established a 6–2 advantage, but Harimoto battled back to narrow the gap to 6–7. When it mattered most, Wang stayed composed, executed on the key rallies, and secured the game. In the sixth, Wang again moved ahead 5–2. After Harimoto called a timeout and pulled back two points, Wang stabilized immediately, regained control, and maintained her lead to close out the match.

World ranking implications

Harimoto’s run ended in the semifinals, earning her 175 ranking points at this event. Those points will not be sufficient for replacement purposes next week. With no points expiring for Harimoto next week, her total remains unchanged at 4,000 points.

Meanwhile, Wang Yidi exited early at this Asian Cup and collected only limited ranking points. Next week, 700 points are set to expire for Wang Yidi, but the available replacement is only 175 points. As a result, her total will drop from 4,400 to 3,875 points.

That shift means Harimoto is expected to move past Wang Yidi in the rankings—rising from world No. 7 to No. 6—while Wang Yidi slips to No. 7.

Women’s singles final

Sun Yingsha vs Wang Manyu
February 8, 7:30 PM (Beijing time)

With the finalists confirmed, Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu will meet in an all-China title match—guaranteeing Team China the top two finishes at the Haikou Asian Cup. Adding an extra layer of intrigue, last year’s final featured the same matchup, where Wang Manyu delivered a dominant 4–0 victory to claim the championship.