(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT)
Wang Chuqin won the Men’s Singles Title, and Wang Manyu won the Women’s Singles Title, as each won the final matches on Sunday at the WTT Finals in Kitakyusha, Japan. The event marks the final major tour of the 2024 year, and each will enjoy a $40,000 prize at 1500 ranking points.
For Chuqin, he had a few shaky events in the second half of 2024, but he finishes this year just as he finished the last two years – as the WTT Finals Champion. Chuqin logs his third win in a row at the WTT’s final event. Truthfully, the Men’s Final was never a contest. Chuqin dominated the first game, winning 11-2 over Tomokazu Harimoto. The next two games were closer, but at 11-8 and 11-7, they were still comfortable wins. And Chuqin was up early in the final game, as he coasted to the 4-0 victory. The victory for Harimoto was won earlier – as he topped two of China’s best just to reach the Final – and a second place finish is better than hies World No. 7 ranking.
Wang Manyu entered the event as the second seed, but she never had to face World No. 1 Sun Yingsha because Chen Xingtong defeated her in their opening round match. However, Xingtong was on a role, topping World No. 1, then logging a 3-0 win over Miu Hirano and a 4-0 win over Wang Yidi on her path to the Final. The two traded games with Manyu winning the first, fourth, sixth, and seventh. A big step for Wang Manyu – her first WTT Finals title.
Men’s Doubles went to the Lebrun brothers – a 3-2 win over the Japanese pair of Shinozuka and Togami. The Women’s Doubles event was dominated by Japan with all three of their entries reaching the semifinals and an all-Japan final. Sato and Hashimoto defeated Yokoi and Odo 3-0.
The next WTT events are scheduled for January, two small events in Oman and Qatar and then the Singapore Smash at the end of the month.
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