Lin, Kuai Retain WTT Europe Smash Mixed Doubles Title

China’s Lin Shidong and Kuai Man successfully defended their mixed doubles title at the 2026 WTT Europe Smash in Malmö, Sweden, defeating Hong Kong SAR’s Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem 3-1 (4-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-6) in the final on August 14. The victory marked their fifth WTT Grand Smash mixed doubles title, tying the all-time record previously set by compatriots Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, according to Xinhua.

The Chinese pair, seeded third in the tournament, earlier cruised past Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-ju and Cheng I-ching 3-0 in the semifinal on the same day before overcoming the fourth-seeded Hong Kong duo in the evening final.

A Comeback Victory

Wong and Doo started aggressively, using high-quality receive flicks and line changes to overwhelm Lin and Kuai in the opening game, which the Hong Kong pair won 11-4. From the second game onward, however, the Chinese duo adjusted their serve rotation and placement, deliberately targeting their opponents’ backhand side and exploiting their left-right combination to attack the gap in the all-right-handed Hong Kong pair’s defense.

“Our opponents were in very good form today, and I was a bit overwhelmed in the first game,” Lin said after the match, as reported by CGTN. “From the second game, we made some adjustments, communicated more with each other and gradually found our rhythm.”

Kuai Man, who played her women’s singles round-of-16 match just about an hour before the mixed doubles final, said returning to the table while still in form helped her produce a solid performance.

Record-Tying Achievement

The title was Lin and Kuai’s fifth at the Grand Smash level, matching the mark set by Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha. Their Grand Slam titles span from 2024 to 2026: the 2024 China Smash, 2025 Singapore Smash, 2025 US Smash, 2025 Europe Smash Sweden, and now the 2026 Europe Smash Sweden. The pair have triumphed in 16 of their 18 appearances together in mixed doubles finals.

This victory also carried special significance given the pair’s recent history. After their upset elimination at the 2025 World Championships in Doha, where they entered as top seeds, the duo was split up. Kuai Man experimented with new partners while Lin focused on his singles career. They reunited at the July 2026 Chinese National Championships and won, making this Europe Smash their second tournament back together — two appearances, two titles.

“It’s been too long since we competed together, reuniting is very exciting,” Kuai Man said, according to Sohu. Lin echoed the sentiment: “We haven’t partnered for so long, winning makes me very happy.” Both said their chemistry had not diminished with time apart.

China’s Men’s Singles Struggles Continue

The mixed doubles triumph came amid a challenging tournament for China’s men’s team. Lin Shidong fell 3-2 to France’s Alexis Lebrun in the men’s singles round of 16, while Zhou Qihao also lost 3-2 to Japan’s Sora Matsushima. Their exits meant all six Chinese men’s singles players were eliminated, marking the third consecutive WTT event (US Smash, Yokohama Champions, Europe Smash Sweden) where China’s men failed to reach the quarterfinals, as China News Service reported.

In contrast, China’s women’s team performed strongly, with five players advancing to the quarterfinals: Chen Yi, Wang Yidi, Shi Xunyao, Kuai Man, and Wang Manyu.

The mixed doubles title was particularly valuable as it was China’s only remaining doubles opportunity — all men’s and women’s doubles pairs had already been eliminated before the final. The victory secured China’s first title of the tournament.

What’s Next

The 2026 WTT Europe Smash continues through August 16 at the Malmö Arena, with singles quarterfinals and men’s and women’s doubles finals scheduled for August 15. The tournament, hosted by Malmö for the second consecutive year, is part of the WTT Grand Smash series — the highest tier of World Table Tennis events, comparable to Grand Slam tournaments in tennis.

For Lin Shidong, currently ranked World No. 6 in men’s singles, and Kuai Man, ranked World No. 4 in women’s singles, the successful title defense reinforces their status as one of the most dominant mixed doubles pairs in the sport. As the pair continues to rebuild their partnership, their immediate chemistry suggests more titles may follow.

Watch the full match highlights on the official WTT YouTube channel or view the CCTV photo gallery from the final.