On May 9, 2026, the Chinese women’s table tennis team faced Romania in the semifinals of the London World Team Championships. Sun Yingsha kicked off the match with a 3-0 victory over veteran Elizabeta Samara. Wang Manyu then took the court against Romania’s top player, Bernadette Szocs, and also won 3-0.
Romania emerged as a dark horse in this tournament, reaching the women’s team semifinals for the first time in 26 years. Wang Manyu, 27 and standing 1.76 meters tall, attacked aggressively from the start, winning six straight points to open the first game. She closed it out 11-4.
In the second game, Szocs raised her level and led 8-5 at one point. Wang fought back to tie 8-8, then won 11-9 with strong finishes. Commentator Yan An noted that Wang anticipated Szocs’ shots perfectly on the decisive points.
The third game was the tightest. Wang led 4-2 early, but Szocs countered with aggressive play. The score swung from 6-6 to 7-7 and 8-8. Wang changed her serve, used powerful rallies, and saved a game point before winning 12-10. Each time she scored in crucial moments, Wang let out a fierce roar, showing her determination.
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