MACAO: China’s Sun Yingsha, currently ranked World No. 1, successfully retained her title, while Brazil’s Hugo Calderano made history as the first Brazilian player to secure the men’s singles gold at the ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup in Macao 2025 on Sunday.
Sun, the defending champion who initially claimed the title at the ITTF World Cup Macao 2024, triumphed over her compatriot Kuai Man with a decisive 4-0 victory. Meanwhile, Calderano staged a comeback to defeat China’s Lin Shidong 4-1, marking his inaugural World Cup title as a professional athlete.
“Lin Shidong began the match with great intensity, but I managed to identify some strategies. Securing the second game really energized me, allowing me to improve my performance as the match progressed,” Calderano reflected.
In a press conference following the final, he acknowledged China’s continued dominance in most tournaments but noted that the global competition is gradually becoming more competitive due to the hard work of other teams. “While there may be more contenders emerging to challenge China’s supremacy, they remain the top team in the world.”
When asked about the upcoming ITTF World Table Tennis Championships set to take place in Doha, Qatar, in May, Sun emphasized the importance of recovery following this tournament. “My primary focus will be on recuperating my body. I also aspire to perform even better there, as I believe the World Championships will feature a greater number of elite players and heightened competition. The uncertainties and challenges will only increase.”
