After years of dedication, top seed Chen Meng of China clinched her first ITTF World Cup women's singles title on home soil on Tuesday, reaching a new peak in her career.
Chen Meng
The road to the championship has been a rocky one since she first joined the national team in 2007. Though she has won more than a dozen singles international titles, the current world No.1 had failed to shine at the ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup and the three major Grand Slam competitions.
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After years of dedication, top seed Chen Meng of China clinched her first ITTF World Cup women's singles title on home soil on Tuesday, reaching a new peak in her career.
It was also not easy for Chen to emerge among competitive teammates, as the 26-year-old has long been sandwiched between "the aging and the young". She was defeated by the younger Wang Manyu in the women's singles at the 2018 Asian Games, and by her senior compatriot Liu Shiwen at the 2019 World Championships.
Discussing those defeats, Chen concluded underestimating her opponent as the biggest reason. "I could not judge and find problems in time," she said.
After years of dedication, top seed Chen Meng of China clinched her first ITTF World Cup women's singles title on home soil on Tuesday, reaching a new peak in her career.
Faced with setbacks, Chen did not give up. "I will stick to it without fears."
At the China's table tennis Olympic practise test this year, she failed to win a medal and finished fourth. "At that time, there were so many distracting thoughts that I could not keep away from," she said.
After bouncing back from those challenges, the Shandong native came from one set behind to win four games in a row in the women's singles final of the ITTF Women's World Cup in front of her home fans.
Chen Meng
"This victory is a significant breakthrough for me. I was under enormous pressure before the game, and it was not easy for me to release and burst in the end," Chen noted.
Struggling with pressure and failures, she has laid down her burden and developed a mature mindset to fully display her skills.
Ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2021 World Championships, Chen will face a crucial test as she will compete against her national teammates as well as elite overseas players if selected.
Chen Meng
With a streak of four straight victories against Japan's Mima Ito, traditionally a strong rival of Chinese paddlers, Chen is determined to add further glory in the golden age of her career.
"This win has greatly boosted my confidence, and I will continue to set off with my dreams," said Chen.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Francisco Alvarez homered twice and rookie Nolan McLean retired his first 15 batters as the New York Mets snapped a three-game skid Friday night with a 10-3 rout of the San Francisco Giants.
Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien each had three of New York's season-high 15 hits after the Mets totaled only three runs in their previous three games. Mark Vientos reached base safely four times, but slugger Juan Soto exited early with right calf tightness.
Soto is scheduled for an MRI on Saturday, manager Carlos Mendoza said.
Semien launched his first homer for the Mets and drove in three runs. Bichette opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first.
McLean (1-0) took a perfect game into the sixth before walking Harrison Bader and Patrick Bailey to begin the inning. Jerar Encarnacion flied out to right field, but Willy Adames doubled to right-center to bring home Bader and end McLean’s night.
The right-hander was charged with two runs (one earned). He struck out four. Four relievers combined to finish a five-hitter.
Run-scoring singles by Bichette and Semien off Tyler Mahle (0-2) gave the Mets a 2-0 lead in the first.
Semien drilled a two-run homer to center off Mahle in the fourth. One out later, Alvarez also took Mahle deep to center.
Alvarez led off the Mets’ three-run seventh with a homer to left against JT Brubaker, giving the catcher three home runs this season and six career multihomer games.
Soto singled in the first and appeared to slow up while running from first to third on Bichette’s RBI single. He was forced out at home when Brett Baty grounded into a 1-2-3 double play, and Tyrone Taylor replaced Soto in left field for the bottom of the inning.
The 27-year-old Soto has hit safely in all eight games this season. He's in the second season of a record $765 million, 15-year contract with the Mets. He had 43 homers and 105 RBIs while playing in 160 games last season.
Mets RHP Clay Holmes (1-0) faces Giants RHP Landen Roupp on Saturday night.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
New York Mets' Francisco Alvarez (4) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Friday, April 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) and pitcher Luis García (40) celebrate after the team's victory over the San Francisco Giants in a baseball game Friday, April 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
New York Mets' Marcus Semien, center, celebrates with Carson Benge, left, after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Friday, April 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean throws to a San Francisco Giants batter during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, April 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
New York Mets' Francisco Alvarez (4) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Friday, April 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
