South Korea's women's national table tennis team delivered a commanding performance in its opening knockout match, successfully turning the tide after a shaky start to the tournament.
The team cruised past Canada 3–0 in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Table Tennis Championships team event Monday, at OVO Arena Wembley in London. Having advanced from the preliminary stage in fourth place and entering the draw as the No. 8 seed, Korea faced a potentially tricky path, but secured a clean win to advance into the round of 16.
The match was more one-sided than the scoreline suggests. The starting lineup of Kim Na-young, Shin Yu-bin and Yang Ha-eun never relinquished control. Dominating all three matches from start to finish, the team did not concede a single game and wrapped up the contest in about 50 minutes.
The team also appeared to have quickly regained the form and cohesion that had wavered during the preliminaries. A single victory seemed to reset the overall momentum.
Shin Yu-bin stood out in particular. Despite a lingering back injury, she showed sharper movement and aggressive play, fulfilling her role as the team's ace.
"My condition isn't perfect yet, but no player can always compete at their best," Shin said after the match. "I just tried to do what I could in the given situation." She added, "I want to get back to full fitness as soon as possible and contribute more to the team."
Head coach Seok Eun-mi also gave a positive assessment. "There were some regrets in the preliminaries, but overall the performance was stable today," she said. "We'll stay composed and keep preparing for our goal in the remaining matches."
Seok also addressed the team's earlier struggles, citing Shin's injury and the unique pressure of a world championship. "The result was disappointing, but it was a valuable experience," she noted.
The team atmosphere has also improved noticeably. Players said in unison, "The world championships are never easy. We hope to carry this momentum forward from today's win."
Yang Ha-eun, competing in the team event for the first time in a while, said, "It means even more to be back on the world stage. I'm preparing for every match with a sense of urgency." Kim Na-young also stressed focus, noting, "International experience helps, but the tension at the world championships is different."
Younger players are also gaining valuable experience. Yoo Si-woo said, "The atmosphere at a world event is definitely different. Whether I play or not, I want to contribute to the team." The youngest member, Park Ga-hyun, added, "It's not an easy stage, but I'll use this experience as a stepping stone for growth."
South Korea will face the winner of the Serbia-Singapore match in the round of 16, where the competition is expected to intensify.
Having decisively passed the first hurdle, attention now turns to whether the Korean women can sustain their resurgence.
(This article was produced with the assistance of AI. — Ed.)
khnews@heraldcorp.com
