Macao’s Zhu Yuling made a great start to her WTT Champions Macao 2025 campaign, heading into the women’s singles last 16 with a straight-games win over India’s Sreeja Akula at the East Asian Games Dome yesterday.
The former world table tennis no. 1, who returned to the sport last year following a long illness layoff, won 11-5, 11-1, 11-6 in a strong display that showed her sharp timing, clean finishing, and control in the rallies.
The 30-year-old credited the home support for her performance. “Playing here surely feels different,” Zhu told the South China Morning Post. “I feel very happy and satisfied because everyone gave me more applause. The fact that I could play to my ability here was also because of their support.”
Zhu, who defeated no. 2 Wang Manyu en route to winning July’s WTT United States Smash in Las Vegas, said she approaches every opponent the same way, regardless of nationality. “As a professional, I never think about where my opponent is from. I only think about her playing style, her characteristics, and how I should prepare,” she said.
Her win over Akula, whom she also faced last month, was built on familiarity. Zhu told WTT that prior experience helped her settle quickly and execute her game plan. Since her comeback appearance at last year’s Macao event, Zhu has climbed from world No. 164 to No. 7 and has already secured a spot at December’s WTT Finals in Hong Kong.
According to TDM, Zhu said she had entered many events over the past year to build experience. She added that she’s enjoying her career again and hopes to make further breakthroughs in future competitions.
[See more: The world’s table tennis elite descend on Macao for WTT Champions]
Elsewhere in the opening round, China’s Wang Yidi and Japan’s Mima Ito posted 3-0 victories over Macao’s Kuan Cheok-lam and Australia’s Liu Yangzi, respectively. On the men’s side, Brazil’s Hugo Calderano, fresh from his ITTF World Cup triumph in Macao in April, edged past South Korea’s Ahn Jae-hyun 13-11, 12-10, 11-8 to reach the last 16.
The WTT Champions Macao 2025 features 32-player draws in both men’s and women’s singles, with a star-studded field that includes China’s Lin Shidong, Wang Chuqin, Sun Yingsha, and Wang Manyu.
For Zhu, who is contesting her second Champions event in Macao, she feels the home energy as she pushes deeper into the draw. According to Macao Daily, Zhu said the fans’ backing is her biggest motivation and that she will give her all in every match.
