Taiwanese athletes are making their mark at the 2026 WTT Singapore Grand Smash, securing key victories in the qualifying rounds. The tournament, a significant event on the international table tennis calendar, is seeing strong performances from a new generation of Taiwanese players.
On February 20, 2026, 17-year-old Kuo Kuang-han showcased a dominant performance in his men’s singles qualifying round debut, defeating Slovenia’s Deni Kozul 3-1. Kuo quickly took control of the match, winning the first game 11-4 after a 6-0 start. Despite a mid-match challenge in the second game, he rallied to win 11-7, and ultimately secured the victory with a final score of 11-7 in the fourth game. Kuo, currently ranked 76th in the world, will next face Romania’s Iulian Zirita (ranked 96th).
Fellow Taiwanese player, Chang Yu-an, also advanced, defeating Italy’s veteran Niagol Stoyanov in the third round. Chang initially dropped the first game 9-11 but responded strongly, winning the next two games 11-5 and 11-9. Although Stoyanov fought back to tie the match at 2-2 with an 11-7 victory in the fourth game, Chang ultimately prevailed in the decisive fifth game.
The success continued for Taiwan on February 21, 2026, as Chien Tung-chuan staged a remarkable comeback in the women’s singles qualifying round. Facing Sweden’s Christina Kallberg, Chien found herself down 0-2, losing the first two games 10-12 and 11-13. However, she refused to concede, launching a spirited comeback to win the next three games 12-10, 11-5, and 11-9, completing a stunning 3-2 victory and earning a spot in the main draw. This marks Chien’s fourth consecutive appearance in the Singapore Grand Smash main draw.
Other Taiwanese players will also be competing in the main draw, including Lin Yun-ju, Feng Yi-hsin in the men’s singles, Cheng I-ching, Li Yu-chun, and Yeh Yi-tien in the women’s singles, and Kuo Kuang-han and Feng Yi-hsin in the men’s doubles. Lin Yun-ju and Cheng I-ching will also team up in the mixed doubles competition. Unfortunately, Chang Yu-an’s run was halted in the final round of men’s singles qualifying, falling to Vladimir Sidorenko of Russia 1-3.
