Let's go to the final 3 times in a row! 8 ace table tennis players, including Shin Yu-bin and Jang Woo-jin, will participate in the mixed team match of the Chengdu World Cup
Nov 28, 2025
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The Korea Table Tennis Association, which will be held in Chengdu, China from the 30th to the 7th of next month, will feature leaders such as Choi Young-il, Oh Sang-eun, head coach of the men's national team, Seok Eun-mi, coach of the women's team, Yoon Jae-young, Hwang Sung-hoon, and Choi Hyun-jin and Seo Hyo-won, coaches of the women's team, and four men and women's teams. The men's national team will be led by Jang Woo-jin, who recently proved that he is the "oldest ace" in the professional league, followed by Ahn Jae-hyun, Oh Jun-sung (Korea Exchange), and Park Kang-hyun (Mirae Asset Securities). The women's national team will feature Shin Yoo-bin, who has recently reached the singles semifinals one after another and is rapidly growing, and Lee Eun-hye (Korean Air), Kim Na-young (Posco International), and Choi Hyo-joo (Korea Racing Authority).
The men's and women's national teams convened on the 24th and then flew to Chengdu, a battleground, on the 28th after working together lightly for three days at the Korea Racing Authority training site in Cheongna, Incheon.
The competition will feature mixed men's and women's teams from 16 countries around the world, including France, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, and Egypt, as well as Asian powerhouses such as Korea, China, Japan, and India. After four teams play in four groups, the top eight teams go through the league to determine the final winning team in the tournament, and the way they play is unique. The men's and women's aces will form a team, with one game being mixed doubles, two men's singles, three women's singles, and four women's singles (the low-seeded team chooses) and the team that scores eight points first wins. Although it started as an event-style competition two years ago, interest in the event is hotter than ever as the mixed team event became an official event at the 2028 LA Olympics. The strongest aces that each country boasts are expected to participate.
In the mixed group World Cup, which marks its third anniversary this year, the men's and women's national teams have been runner-up for 2023 and 2024, boasting fantastic 'chemistry'. In the final, they were all blocked by the wall of the Great Wall of China. My goal this time is to go to the finals. Changes in squads are also larger than in previous years. Lim Jong-hoon, who is about to get married, will not participate in this competition. Shin Yu-bin's 「Soul Partner」 Jeon Ji-hee also announced her retirement after finishing second in the mixed team event at last year's World Cup. As Cho Dae-sung, who worked with Shin Yu-bin in the mixed doubles as a teenager, cannot wear the national flag, the ace of the squad is precious. Park Kang-hyun for men and Choi Hyo-joo for women will play the role of left-handed ace in favor of doubles. The role of top rankers such as Shin Yu-bin and Jang Woo-jin and the ace who will catch three points in each game is also important, and customized 'order'and bench brain fights are also expected to be fierce depending on the opponent team. Ahn Jae-hyun and Oh Jun-sung of the men's team have strong skills, and the women's team has also been on the rise in international and domestic competitions recently. As it is a special type of group competition, there are many variables and changes. The key is how quickly they will adapt to the mixed doubles and men's and women's doubles combinations that will be woven according to the match and show their quickness and teamwork.
Oh Sang-eun, head coach of the men's national team, and Seok Eun-mi, head coach of the women's national team, said in unison, `The goal is to go to the final for three consecutive games.' Coach Oh Sang-eun said, `The key is how much left-handed Park Kang-hyun will perform in doubles. I believe you will do wellThe combination of players may vary depending on the opponent in each competition. Players such as Jang Woo-jin and Ahn Jae-hyun are suffering from injuries. However, if our players overcome the difficulties and show 100% of their performance, they will be able to do well enough no matter which team they meet." Coach Seok Eun-mi said, `Shin Yoo-bin, Lee Eun-hye, Choi Hyo-joo, and Kim Na-young all have a clear willingness to do it, and they continue to grow and develop in each tournament. The atmosphere is good. As all teams are at their best, advancing to the finals for three consecutive years is by no means an easy goal, but they have faith, excitement and expectations for the players. Ahead of the LA Olympics, this mixed team event will be a very good experience and challenge for our athletes.
Shin Yu-bin said, `The competition to represent the country with the Taegeuk mark is more responsible than any other competition. No matter what role the director gives me, I will do my best to perform the role well." "If the directors aimed to go to the finals three times in a row, my goals are the same."," he said with a big smile. Jang Woo-jin also said, "Even if it hurts, there's no time to get sick."We were always strong when we went out as a team. I will do my best with the determination that today is the last day of every competition." "The result of three consecutive finals is of course important, but the process and content are more important. It is also important to analyze what is lacking and find the exact reason. I will consider with my coaching staff and other juniors and try to play a good game in terms of content, he added.
Reporter Jeon Young-ji sky4us@sportschosun.com
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
