WTT Champions Chongqing 2026 · Quarterfinal · Table Tennis

Matsushima Exacts Sweet Revenge on Wang Chuqin in Chongqing

Three months after a heartbreaking defeat in Hong Kong, Sora Matsushima silenced a sell-out crowd to stun the world No.1 and defending champion Wang Chuqin in a six-game thriller.

Game by Game

Three months is a long time to carry the weight of a 4-3 defeat. At WTT Finals Hong Kong 2025, Sora Matsushima was painfully close — only for Wang Chuqin, the 15-time WTT Series singles title winner, to pull away in the decisive moments. On Wednesday in Chongqing, the Japanese No. 8 settled the score in emphatic fashion, defeating the defending champion 4-2 in a match that had every emotion the sport can offer.

“Just moments after the arena was the loudest it had been all week, it was once again stunned into silence — as Matsushima raised his arms in victory.”

From the opening exchange, this felt like a match with something personal at stake. Long, fast rallies from the very first point — nothing could separate them at 5-5. It was Wang who struck first, asserting his authority to take Game 1 at 11-8 as the sell-out Bloomage Biotech Biohyalux ECM Arena erupted behind their man.

Game 2 looked to be slipping away from Matsushima too. Down 0-3 and then 1-5, the groans were audible. But instead of folding, the World No. 8 climbed out of his own grave — clawing back to 7-6 and eventually levelling the match at one game apiece. The crowd fell quiet. Game on.

The third game was a masterclass in contrasting styles. Matsushima pushed for all-or-nothing, blood-and-thunder rallies; Wang went the other way — working the short game, crafting angles, and setting up point-winning smashes. They were level after 12 points, level again after 18. Despite the noise of the Chongqing crowd willing Wang forward, Matsushima edged it to go 2-1 up.

Game 4 was when Matsushima caught fire. His coach could be heard cheering courtside as his player ran away with it 11-8, going 3-1 up. Wang sensed the danger. A raised fist to the crowd at 5-7 was his first show of emotion, but five points in a row from Matsushima sent him to the brink of the semifinal.

What followed was one of the great WTT comebacks. With Matsushima seemingly coasting at 7-1 in Game 5, Wang began chipping away. Point by point, the decibels climbed. When Wang won that fifth game 11-7, the roar that erupted almost lifted the roof off the arena.

But Wang still needed two more games. He flew out of the blocks in Game 6, racing to 4-1. Matsushima looked broken. Then — again — he found something. Level at 8-8. Neck and neck. With everything on the line, Matsushima attacked Wang’s serve and went ahead for the first time in the game at 9-8. He never looked back. Arms raised, the revenge was complete.

To understand the significance of Wednesday’s result, you need to go back to December 2025. At WTT Finals Hong Kong, Matsushima took Wang Chuqin to seven games — a dramatic, absorbing contest that the World No.1 eventually won 4-3. It was the kind of loss that leaves a mark.

Wang Chuqin is not just the world’s best table tennis player — he is a 15-time WTT Series singles title winner, a generational talent who rarely loses when it matters most. To beat him, you need to be at your absolute best, sustain it across multiple games, and have the nerve to hold on when he inevitably fights back. On Wednesday, Matsushima did all three.

“Wang Chuqin is a 15-time WTT Series singles title winner. Beating him requires being at your absolute best and having the nerve to hold on when he fights back. Matsushima did all three.”

The result sends Matsushima into the WTT Champions Chongqing 2026 semifinals, where he will carry the confidence of one of the biggest wins of his career.

Next Up

Sora Matsushima → WTT Champions Chongqing 2026 Semifinal