Chen ends Sun's incredible win streak with crushing display
23 April 2023
4th seed Chen Meng is through to her first-ever WTT Champions final after coming out on top 4-0 against top seed Sun Yingsha (16-14, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9) on the penultimate day of play at WTT Champions Macao 2023.
World No.1 Sun hadn’t lost a match on the international stage since 22 July 2022, winning 24 consecutive matches over a whopping 274 days.
However, Chen was determined to bring that astonishing run to a halt on Saturday evening, approaching the Day 6 showdown with revenge in her eye having lost to Sun 4-0 last week at WTT Champions Xinxiang 2023.
The first game would prove crucial on this occasion as both players eyed a quick start to their ninth clash.
FOLLOW EVENT ACTION
Game one proved a topsy-turvy affair with momentum shifting from one side to the other on a frequent basis, and it was Sun who held the early advantage as she gained a 10-9 lead. However, Chen hit back immediately, saving the point to raise the intensity inside Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion.
It was then Chen’s turn to hold game points, only for Sun to salvage the situation four times to keep her in the conversation. Failing to convert four opportunities, Chen wasn’t about to let another chance pass her by, stepping up to the task at the fifth attempt to claim a dramatic opening game.
At first glance the disappointment of game one didn’t appear to get to Sun’s head as she raced to a 4-2 lead in game two, but the World No.1 struggled to live with Chen’s lightning speed as the latter player firmly established her dominance in the rallies.
Not only would Chen successfully turn the second game around in her favour, but would go on to add a third game to her tally, ramping up the pressure on her 22-year-old opponent in the process.
Trailing by three games, it was now or never for Sun who simply had no room for error. Refusing to back down without a fight, Sun kept asking questions of the Olympic champion as she recovered a 6-9 deficit to 9-9. However, Chen stood her ground, hitting through the ball nicely to withstand the comeback charge, wrapping up the following two points to bring the match to a close.
"I think my mentality is very good because last week I lost 4-0 in Xinxiang, so I didn't expect to win 4-0 before the match. Sun Yingsha has been in very good form this year, so was just thinking that one more point is one more point, one more set is one more set. Wang Manyu and I haven't played for a long time. I hope I can show this sort of energetic spirit and give my best." Chen Meng
Chen Meng moves on to the Women’s Singles final where Wang Manyu awaits as Olympic and World champions collide.
Check out the complete results from Day 6 here.