Sun Yingsha Out of WTT Europe Smash Sweden Due to Injury
World No. 1 table tennis player Sun Yingsha has withdrawn from the WTT Europe Smash Sweden stop due to injury, Xinhua News Agency reported. The World Table Tennis (WTT) organization officially announced the withdrawal on August 2, with Australian player Minhyung Jee promoted to the main draw to take her place. The tournament is scheduled for August 8-16 in Malmö, Sweden.
A Defending Champion Sidelined
Sun, who won the 2025 edition of the Europe Smash in Malmö by defeating Wang Manyu 4-2 in the final, was the women’s singles top seed and defending champion at this year’s event. Her absence marks a significant blow to the tournament’s marquee lineup, which will now see Wang Manyu, Chen Xingtong, Chen Yi, Kuai Man, Wang Yidi, Shi Xunyao, and Qin Yuxuan represent China in the women’s singles draw.
According to Guangming Daily, Sun has accumulated multiple chronic strain injuries from long-term high-intensity competition. Her club, Shenzhen University Table Tennis Club, confirmed she is undergoing systematic rehabilitation therapy. The club had previously issued a statement on July 24 with the phrase “overcoming injuries, conserving strength,” which trended on Chinese social media and indirectly confirmed her physical strain condition.
A String of Withdrawals
The Sweden withdrawal is the latest in a series of events Sun has missed or pulled out of in recent weeks. She skipped the China Table Tennis Super League Dalian stop on July 23, withdrew from the WTT Champions Yokohama (August 4-9), and was not registered for the WTT Champions Macao (September 8-13). DotDotNews reported that both Sun and Wang Manyu are absent from the Macao entry list.
Her recent competitive record underscores the toll of her demanding schedule. In July, Sun won the WTT US Smash women’s singles title in Los Angeles — her sixth WTT Grand Slam singles title — defeating Kuai Man 4-3 in a seven-game thriller. She also reached the mixed doubles final with Wang Chuqin at the same event, falling to Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin. Yangtze Evening News noted that after the US Smash victory, Sun posted “keep fighting” on social media, a phrase she repeated in her post-match interview.
Wang Chuqin Also Absent
Sun is not the only Chinese star missing from the Sweden stop. World No. 1 men’s player Wang Chuqin was already confirmed to miss the tournament in July due to fatigue and injury management, as Sina Finance reported. He also skipped the Yokohama Champions. Both players are expected to prepare for the September Nagoya Asian Games.
The coordinated absence of top Chinese players reflects a broader strategic shift. According to Liberation Daily, the Chinese team is implementing a rotation policy that prioritizes injury recovery and athlete longevity. Wang Chuqin, Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu, Lin Shidong, and Liang Jingkun all collectively skipped the Yokohama Champions, leaving a younger lineup to carry the flag. The compressed WTT commercial calendar — Grand Slams, Champions events, and Star Contenders — combined with domestic competitions like the Super League and National Championships has left top players with minimal rest windows.
World Ranking Implications
Sun’s absence carries significant ranking consequences. She currently holds 11,350 ranking points. By skipping Yokohama (700 points), the Sweden Smash (2,000 points), and Macao (1,000 points), she stands to lose approximately 3,700 points, dropping her projected ranking to around 7,650. Wang Manyu, currently at 8,865 points, could surpass Sun if she reaches the Sweden Smash final, potentially becoming the new world No. 1.
Sun has held the world No. 1 position for four consecutive years, since July 2022. Her projected drop would mark the first time in her career that her ranking has been seriously challenged.
What’s Next
Sun’s recovery timeline remains unclear, though she is expected to compete at the Nagoya Asian Games in September. The Chinese team has not announced a specific return date. For the Malmö tournament, the absence of both Sun and Wang Chuqin will shift the spotlight to the remaining Chinese contingent and international challengers, including defending men’s champion Truls Möregårdh of Sweden.
The broader question facing professional table tennis is whether the current calendar structure is sustainable for its top athletes. As the Liberation Daily analysis noted, the “real dilemma” of professional table tennis is balancing commercial growth with athlete welfare. The coming months will reveal whether the sport’s governing bodies and national federations can find that balance.