THE men’s singles final of the Chinese National Table Tennis Championships in Tianjin on Monday night saw Hou Yingchao, a former national team player, defeat Wang Chuqin 4-0 and reclaim his championship mantle after 19 years.

At the age of 39, Hou becomes the oldest Chinese national champion, 19 years after last winning the event.

In 2000, Hou took out Guo Jinhao of Shanghai 3-0 and claimed his first title in the men’s singles.

This year, the journeyman chopper from Shaanxi Province made it through to the final again all the way from the qualifying competitions.

Although Wang took the initiative at first to gain game point at 11-10, Hou surpassed him by winning the next three points. In the following three games, Hou held the lead until the end at 11-7, 11-9 and 11-2, giving no chances to his opponent.

“I think luck has come my way because I felt comfortable competing with other players in the last games. We would have had a tough battle but for Wang’s shoulder injuries,” Hou said after the competition.

In the women’s singles final, world junior champion Sun Yingsha blanked Zhu Yuling 4-0 (11-9, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8). It was the first such win for the 18-year-old Sun at the national competition level.

An accomplished youth player, Sun was the champion at both the 2018 Youth Olympic Games and the 2017 World Junior Championships. However, her senior record is no less impressive, with Sun winning the first senior tournament she participated in, the 2017 Japan Open. She also has seven double’s titles to her name.(Xinhua)