In a triumphant victory for Singapore, paddler Zeng Jian secured her first World Table Tennis (WTT) singles title on Thursday, October 19. The monumental win came after defeating Anna Hursey of Wales in the final round of the WTT Feeder Doha II tournament.
Held at the Aspire Ladies Sports Hall in Doha, Qatar, the 64th ranked Zeng showcased a dominant performance by sealing a straight-set win of 3-0 (11-6, 11-5, and 11-5) against the 163rd ranked Hursey.
Zeng’s journey to the pinnacle of the championship was nothing short of remarkable. Beginning her campaign earlier that week on Tuesday, she made a strong statement with a 3-0 triumph over South Korea’s Choi Seoyeon in the round of 32. Facing a challenge in the round of 16, she battled valiantly to overcome China’s Gao Yuxin with a close 3-2 scoreline. Building on her momentum, she then dispatched Italy’s Giorgia Piccolin with a clean 3-0 sweep in the quarter-finals.
By Thursday morning, all eyes were on Zeng as she faced off against Huang Yi-hua of Chinese Taipei in the semi-finals. Once again, with a commendable 3-1 victory, she secured her spot for the grand finale later in the day.
The WTT Feeder Doha II singles title comes with its share of accolades. According to the official WTT website, champions are awarded US$550 (equivalent to S$755) in prize money and receive an addition of 125 ranking points to their professional profile.
The WTT Feeder Series serves as a gateway to the principal WTT Series. This platform features an ensemble of emerging talents, regional players, and local contenders. It also provides an opportunity for players who have momentarily stepped back from the WTT Series due to a dip in form, career intervals, or injuries.
Interestingly, this was the second instance of the WTT Feeder tournament being held in Doha in 2023, with the initial one conducted in January.
With this significant win under her belt, Zeng Jian has undoubtedly raised Singapore’s profile in the global table tennis community and set a precedent for upcoming talents in the sport.
