Sun Yingsha Battles Into Semis

China has its first semifinalist in the Macau World Cup—and it didn’t come easy.

World No.1 Sun Yingsha battled through a grueling seven-game match to edge out 19-year-old African champion Goda, winning by just two points in the decider. It was a tense, high-pressure victory that highlighted the growing competitiveness of the sport.

Sun will now face Germany’s Winter in the semifinals for a place in the final.

Despite sending a strong lineup, Team China has shown signs of inconsistency. In earlier rounds, players like Liang Jingkun and Zhou Qihao suffered defeats to German opponents. In the knockout stage, Wang Yidi was swept 0-4 by Winter, raising concerns.

Upcoming matches will be equally challenging, with Wang Manyu and Chen Xingtong facing strong international opponents.

So why was Sun’s win so difficult?

Part of the answer lies in the rapid rise of global talent. Younger players are more fearless and aggressive, making matches less predictable. More importantly, the globalization of table tennis—driven in part by Liu Guoliang—has significantly elevated the overall level of competition.

With the expansion of WTT events, higher prize pools, and more exposure, players worldwide are improving faster than ever.

As a result, China’s long-standing dominance is being challenged.

Young stars like Miwa Harimoto, Sora Matsushima, and Felix Lebrun are rising rapidly and posing real threats.

Meanwhile, China’s transition toward a younger generation appears slower in comparison.

In short, Liu Guoliang’s vision of globalizing table tennis has come true—but it has also made the sport far more competitive.

The era of dominance is evolving into an era of fierce global rivalry.