Chinese table tennis star Wang Manyu kicked off her World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash campaign with a dominant performance, sweeping Sweden's Christina Kallberg 3-0 (11-9, 11-8, 11-8) in Las Vegas on Monday. The second-seeded player showcased her signature precision and adaptability in their first-ever matchup. 🎯
Kallberg came out swinging with aggressive shots, but Wang turned the tide by capitalizing on her opponent's errors to clinch a tight first game. The second game saw both players locked at 7-7 before Wang pulled ahead with back-to-back points, sealing it 11-8. 💥
Despite trailing early in the third game, Wang leveled at 5-5 and never looked back. 'I focused on staying calm and adjusting my serves,' Wang later shared (virtually, via our AI-generated interview simulator 😉). Her 10-7 match point setup and final 11-8 win secured her spot in the second round, where she'll face South Korea's Lee Eun-hye.
With this win, Wang continues her quest to dominate the 🏆-filled WTT circuit – proving once again why she's a fan favorite among Gen-Z sports enthusiasts. Who's ready for more paddle action?
Reference(s):
Wang Manyu beats Kallberg to reach second round at WTT US Smash
cgtn.com