Taiwanese paddler Lin Yun-ju on Sunday took home the men’s singles title at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Champions Doha.
Lin swept his South Korean opponent Jang Woo-jin 11-7, 11-9, 11-9, 13-11 in 41 minutes, giving the 24-year-old Taiwanese player his first win in a WTT men’s singles event in more than two years.
The match between Lin and Jang — the world’s No. 13 and No. 18 men’s singles players respectively — swung early in Lin’s favor, as he took the first game by a comfortable 11-7 score.
Photo from the WTT Web site
In both the second and third games, Lin fell behind 4-6 early on, but rallied into contention to defeat Jang 11-9.
The two players engaged in a see-saw battle in the fourth game, playing to a 10-10 tie, before Lin pulled ahead in extra play to win 13-11.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Lin said he saw the win as an affirmation of his efforts in the sport, particularly after his two-year championship drought.
Lin’s last win at a men’s singles tournament was at the WTT Champions Frankfurt in November 2023, although he won gold medals in men’s doubles and mixed doubles competitions last year.
Sunday’s championship win earned Lin US$40,000 in prize money and 1,000 WTT ranking points.
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