After falling behind 1-2 and trailing 0-3 in the fourth set, Sun Yingsha found herself in deep trouble. But the world No. 1 responded in spectacular fashion, mounting a stunning 14-0 scoring surge to defeat South Korean teenager Kim Nayeong 3-2 in the women’s team quarterfinals of the World Table Tennis Championships. The victory extended Sun’s unbeaten streak to six matches in the tournament.
Kim Nayeong, just 20 years old and ranked No. 31 in the world, had lost all three previous encounters with Sun. However, she posed a serious challenge this time. After Sun took the first set 11-7, Kim stormed back with aggressive backhand attacks, winning the next two sets 11-7 each to take a 2-1 lead.
In the fourth set, Kim raced to a 3-0 advantage, forcing Sun to call a timeout. The break proved crucial—Sun finally got on the board and then unleashed a torrent of 10 consecutive points, closing the set 11-4 to force a decider. Sun carried that momentum into the fifth, opening with a 4-0 run and extending her overall streak to 14 straight points.
CCTV commentator Yan An noted that Sun began to feature her forehand more heavily, putting immense pressure on Kim, who had no answer. Although Kim later rallied to close the gap to 9-8, Sun held her nerve, winning 11-9 to complete the comeback.
The hard-fought victory served as a wake-up call for the Chinese team. Kim’s rapid improvement suggests she will be a player to watch in future encounters. Sun’s teammate Wang Manyu earlier swept Shin Yubin 3-0, while Wang Yidi defeated Park Gahyun 3-1, sealing China’s 3-0 overall win and a spot in the semifinals. With proper preparation, Sun is expected to handle Kim more comfortably next time, just as Wang Manyu did against Shin after her own previous struggles.
