Sun wins fourth WTT Grand Smash singles title, Moregard makes history in Sweden

On an electrifying final day at the WTT Europe Smash in Malmo, Sweden, Sun Yingsha emerged victorious over Chinese compatriot Wang Manyu in six games to claim the women's singles title. Sunday's championship contest, which marked the 11th meeting between these two titans of the sport and frequent doubles partners, lived up to its billing with high-stakes drama and intense rallies.

The opener was tight, with Wang managing to stave off game point at 10-8 before the top-ranked Sun swiftly capitalized, delivering a fierce backhand and subsequently outclassing the second seed with a cleverly-placed follow-up shot.

In the second game, Sun continued to apply relentless pressure, but Wang's resilient counterattacks kept her in the mix. After a nail-biting rally left the two players knotted at 9-9, Sun showcased her stability under pressure, clinching the next two points to extend her overall lead to 2-0.

The momentum shifted in the third game, as Wang utilized multiple variations of her serve to establish an early 8-4 lead, en route to ultimately prevailing 11-5 and narrowing Sun's lead to 2-1. The fourth game quickly turned into another fierce battle, with Wang coming from behind to level the match at 2-2 with a 12-10 victory.

But Sun's composure shone through in the fifth game, as she surged into a 7-2 lead, eventually triumphing 11-6 to reclaim the advantage. The sixth game saw Sun sprint out to a quick 3-0 lead, prompting Wang to call a timeout, but it was not enough to halt the World No. 1's momentum. Sun sealed the deal 11-5, securing her fourth WTT Grand Smash singles title.

Meanwhile, Sweden's Truls Moregard became the first European player to lift a men's singles trophy at a WTT Grand Smash, pulling off an unexpected 4-3 win against China's World No. 1 Lin Shidong.

With the odds stacked against him, Moregard leveraged the advantage of competing at home, racing out to a 3-1 lead. Although the top-seeded Lin rallied to level the match at 3-3 overall, the Swede continued to display remarkable tenacity.

In a gripping decider that saw the intensity peak with a 9-9 stalemate, Moregard clinched the last two points to triumph 11-9, topping the podium in front of an enthusiastic home crowd after a captivating contest filled with numerous twists and turns.