China’s Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha were crowned men’s and women’s champions respectively at the ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup Macao 2026 finals held on Easter Sunday, coinciding with Qingming, at the Galaxy Arena in Cotai.
The tournament, sanctioned by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and organised by the Sports Bureau (ID), Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) and World Table Tennis Management Group Limited (WTMG), concluded with semi-final and final clashes featuring the world’s top players.
In the women’s final, Sun faced compatriot Wang Manyu. Sun made a commanding start, taking the first three games with consistent control and aggressive play. Although Wang responded by claiming the fourth game, Sun quickly regained momentum and closed out the match 4-1 (11-9, 11-8, 13-11, 8-11, 11-7) to successfully defend her World Cup title, becoming the first female player to win three consecutive years.
Meanwhile, the men’s final saw Wang Chuqin go head-to-head with Japan’s Sora Matsushima in a tightly contested encounter. Both players exchanged leads throughout the match, pushing it to a deciding seventh game after being locked at 3-3. Wang ultimately delivered under pressure, securing the final game to win 4-3 (9-11, 18-16, 11-8, 11-13, 8-11, 11-4, 11-8) and claim his first World Cup title.
Following the finals, a trophy presentation was held, featuring a flag handover segment led by Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai, who presented the ITTF World Cup flag to ITTF President Petra Sörling of Sweden, whom then passed the flag to Yang Yang, who represented the ITTF Mixed Team World Cup Chengdu 2026 Organising Committee.
Speaking after his victory, Wang Chuqin reflected on the intensity of the tournament and the significance of his first World Cup triumph. “I think every game I played on the stage was very impressive. It was so hard that I feel like every day is the last day of my life,” he said, adding that “each match is really memorable, because each of them is really tough and challenging”.
He also expressed gratitude to his supporters throughout his journey. “I want to thank my fans for not giving up on me, and that I am very happy that I have this chance to say this very sentence to you again, that I did not let you down,” he said through an interpreter.
Meanwhile, Sun said the final was more competitive than the scoreline suggested. “For tonight’s [Sunday’s] final, as always, it was a nailbiter, despite that I won 4-1. In the first three sets, there were crucial points, and in the last two sets, well, actually, there were moments for Wang Manyu to turn around,” she said.
“Before this match, I didn’t put too much thought into the outcome of the goal, but of course, I’m glad that I have claimed the titles for three years in a row. I think today, both Wang and I played to our level, and we put on a great match for the fans”. Reflecting on her overall campaign, Sun highlighted the difficulty of the tournament despite her title defence. “I do have a lot of takeaways. Like I said before, right from the first round of the main draw, every player is among the top players in the world,” she said through the same interpreter.
“Tonight [Sunday], the match score may tell you it’s the easiest one, but it’s not the case. So, throughout this week, I have a lot of takeaways. I have ups and downs, and every day, I got up to a different mindset”, Sun added.
The conclusion of the World Cup marks another major international sporting event successfully staged in Macau, striving to reinforce its role as a regional hub for elite competitions while showcasing top-tier table tennis talent on the global stage, according to a statement by the Sports Bureau on Monday.
China’s Wang Chuqin (left) and Sun Yingsha pose after the trophy presentation after winning the men’s and women’s championships at the ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup Macao 2026 on Easter Sunday. – Photo: Khalel Vallo
