Sun Yingsha competes during the women's round of 128 match between Sun Yingsha of China and Veronika Matiunina of Ukraine at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

DOHA, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Sun Yingsha made light work of a low-ranked Ukrainian opponent as China opened its title campaign at two venues for the World Table Tennis Championships on Saturday.

The world's top-ranked player cruised past No. 216 Veronika Matiunina 11-5, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 at Lusail Multipurpose Hall. The other venue, Qatar University Sports Complex, is also hosting matches during the first four days of the nine-day competition.

"My performance is normal," said Sun, the defending world singles champion who has twice finished runner-up at the Olympics. "I didn't know much about my opponent. But her serve is good, and her style is unique as an 18-year-old teenager."

Sun will next face the winner between 262nd-ranked Costa Rican Lucia Zavaleta and No. 67 Pyong Song Gyong from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, whose players are known for exceeding expectations.

"My second-round rival might be very strong. I will get myself prepared for a tough game," she said.

The championships officially opened Saturday afternoon, with China aiming for a clean sweep at a pivotal time.

All eyes are on Wang Liqin, who succeeded the legendary Liu Guoliang as head of Chinese table tennis last month -- just three days after Brazil's Hugo Calderano shocked the sport by winning the World Cup in Macao, a rare feat in a sport long dominated by China.

Xue Fei became China's first casualty, as the only penholding player on the team squandered a two-set lead in a 4-2 loss to Japan's Hiroto Shinozuka.

The world's most renowned penholder, world No. 6 Felix Lebrun of France, eased past Slovakia's Lubomir Pistej in straight sets.

Wang Chuqin, the world No. 2 who lost to Calderano in the World Cup, will open his campaign Saturday night against 18-year-old American Nandan Naresh.

China's world No. 1 Lin Shidong, who also fell to Calderano in the Macao World Cup final, will make his first singles appearance on Sunday.

Italian journalist Gennaro Bozza, who has covered all but one world championships since 1989, tipped Wang as the likely winner.

"I expect Wang to beat Lin in the final. Wang is solid, aggressive and getting maturer," he said.

"Hugo caught the Chinese by surprise in Macao, but with the Chinese on alert, he won't have a chance." ■

Sun Yingsha (R) checks the bat before the women's round of 128 match between Sun Yingsha of China and Veronika Matiunina of Ukraine at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

Sun Yingsha reacts during the women's round of 128 match between Sun Yingsha of China and Veronika Matiunina of Ukraine at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

Sun Yingsha competes during the women's round of 128 match between Sun Yingsha of China and Veronika Matiunina of Ukraine at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

Sun Yingsha reacts during the women's round of 128 match between Sun Yingsha of China and Veronika Matiunina of Ukraine at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

Sun Yingsha competes during the women's round of 128 match between Sun Yingsha of China and Veronika Matiunina of Ukraine at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

Sun Yingsha competes during the women's round of 128 match between Sun Yingsha of China and Veronika Matiunina of Ukraine at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

Sun Yingsha hits a return during the women's round of 128 match between Sun Yingsha of China and Veronika Matiunina of Ukraine at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

Sun Yingsha serves during the women's round of 128 match between Sun Yingsha of China and Veronika Matiunina of Ukraine at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

Sun Yingsha serves during the women's round of 128 match between Sun Yingsha of China and Veronika Matiunina of Ukraine at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

Sun Yingsha competes during the women's round of 128 match between Sun Yingsha of China and Veronika Matiunina of Ukraine at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)