Clean Sweep for Sun Yingsha; Fan Zhendong Retains Singles Title at Singapore Smash 2023
Infinity ∞ Arena produced two nail-biting finals on the last day of the Singapore Smash 2023 with world number 1 Sun Yingsha (CHN), walking away with the women’s singles trophy after a 4-1 (11-7, 10-12, 13-11, 11-6, 11-7) win over compatriot, Qian Tianyi. World number 1 Fan Zhendong (CHN) retained his title with a 4-1 (11-5, 13-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9) victory over Ma Long (CHN).
The odds were good for Sun Yingsha as she had triumphed over Qian Tianyi in all four of their previous match-ups from their time as cadets to the senior circuit. Putting on a valiant fight, Qian Tianyi took the second game and nipped at Sun Yingsha’s heels throughout the third game. Both women were neck to neck for much of the match, producing an intense atmosphere for the sell-out crowd at the OCBC Arena.
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Singapore Smash 2023 Women’s Singles champion Sun Yingsha (right) and runners-up Qian Tianyi.
Brandishing the title that eluded her last year, Sun Yingsha was all smiles. She said: “I’m really pleased to win the match tonight. I know Qian Tianyi well and we often train together. Both of us put in our best for the match. It was a very close fight for the first three games; I made some strategic changes thereafter which resulted in a much smoother fourth game for me. Overall I’m very happy with my performance for this event. It’s the first time I’ve won all three titles and it’s a validation for myself. Having played in all three categories for this event, I feel that I’ve dealt with it well. I was not too tired, even towards the tail end of the event, and was able to perform well. It is important for me to prepare my body to deal with all the competitions and events that come my way and I will continue to do my best.”
This title in Singapore is Sun Yingsha’s 16th consecutive win in singles across all competitions – her career best. Her previous record was 11 consecutive wins.
The men mirrored the women and produced an epic battle proving to the world why they are the world’s top two players. Ma Long didn’t make it easy for his fellow countryman, piling on the pressure in every game, at times threatening to force the match into six games before a winner could be called.
In a rare show of emotion, Fan Zhendong pumped his fists and celebrated his win, after taking the match in the fifth game, delighted that he’s regained his winning form after a less than ideal start to the year.
In his post-match interview, he acknowledged the challenges he faced coming to Singapore but was glad with his improvements as he progressed in the event. He also identified the second game as a turning point for him in the final. After falling behind at 4-8 in the second game, he persevered and found his way back.
“I feel that Ma Long is in really good form for this event. Age seems to not have left a mark on him. In fact, he’s playing even better and stronger than before. For myself, other than preparing the technical aspect of my game, mental preparation is just as important. There were a few occasions today where I was lagging mid-game but I didn’t give up and ended up winning the games. Regardless of whether it’s mental preparation prior the match or being resilient and thinking on my feet during the match, this is a key aspect of the match. The challenges were there but the reward is huge. Tonight is not just about winning the title but also a huge confidence boost for me.”
To cap off the two-week long event, World Table Tennis is also putting on the official Singapore Smash After Party on the Infinity ∞ Arena for fans and players to come together and celebrate all the winners. Party goers will be able to enjoy dance tunes by famed DJ Aldrin.