According to Xinhua News Agency from London on May 6, the 2026 World Team Table Tennis Championships round of 16 kicked off on the 6th, with the Chinese men’s and women’s teams defeating Romania and Sweden respectively to advance to the quarterfinals.
The Chinese men’s team got off to a slow start in their match against Romania. In the opening match, Liang Jingkun lost 0-3 to Eduard Ionescu. In the second match, Wang Chuqin defeated Iulian Chirita 3-0 to level the score and stabilize the situation for China. In the third match, Lin Shide beat Ovidiu Ionescu 3-0. In the fourth match, Wang Chuqin defeated Eduard Ionescu 3-1 to seal the victory for China. The Chinese team eventually won 3-1 overall and progressed to the next round.
After the match, Liang Jingkun admitted that he was a bit nervous in the opening match and hesitated after his opponent played a series of high-quality shots, failing to hold on to the score. He said that after losing, he made adjustments under the guidance of coach Wang Hao. “Lin Shide’s ability to withstand the pressure and win the crucial third match was key, and Wang Chuqin remained as steady as ever,” Liang added.
Wang Chuqin stated that he focused on his performance on court throughout the match, trying not to be affected by the score or the outcome. Lin Shide said that during the crucial third match, he constantly reminded himself to concentrate on executing tactics. “My excitement and aggressiveness on court were better than before,” he commented.
In the quarterfinals, the Chinese men’s team will face the winner of the match between South Korea and Austria.
The Chinese women’s team continued their dominant form. Against Sweden, Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu, and Wang Yidi each won 3-0 against Linda Bergstrom, Christina Kalberg, and Filippa Bergand respectively, securing a comfortable 3-0 victory for China.
Sun Yingsha said after the match that the team had a smooth overall performance and the match progressed relatively well. However, as the knockout stage deepens, the opponents will become stronger, so the team needs to stay calm and handle various situations. Wang Manyu noted that her injury recovery is going well, and she maintained both excitement and focus during the match.
In the quarterfinals, the Chinese women’s team will face South Korea again. The two teams had previously met in the seed ranking round, where China won 3-0.
