Lin Shidong was back to his best, showcasing a devastating backhand flick and a ferocious forehand smash. On May 8, during the men’s team quarterfinals of the 2026 London World Team Table Tennis Championships, China faced South Korea. Lin Shidong dominated the second match, defeating Korea’s top singles player, Jang Woojin, with a clean 3-0 victory.
In the first match, Wang Chuqin narrowly beat Oh Junsung 3-2. Lin Shidong had previously lost twice in three encounters against Jang Woojin, putting him at a disadvantage. However, this time he came fully prepared and completely overwhelmed his opponent.
From the start of the first game, Lin Shidong attacked aggressively, especially with his backhand, and maintained high energy. Every time he scored, he pumped his fist, sometimes even jogging, to dominate in spirit. He raced to a 7-2 lead, then extended it, using his backhand flick and a forehand winner to take the game 11-3. Commentator Gao Han praised, “Youngster Lin Shidong gave us a pleasant surprise.”
In the second game, Lin Shidong continued his momentum, opening with a 5-0 lead. Guest commentator Yan An noted, “Lin’s performance and movement made Jang Woojin flustered.” Gao Han added, “Jang Woojin wasn’t prepared for this match.” Jang’s forehand errors helped Lin reach 9-1, but Jang fought back to 9-5 and then tied at 10-10. Lin called a timeout, and coach Wang Hao advised him to stay calm amid Jang’s changes. After the timeout, Jang leveled again, but Lin won a net-cord point and then attacked decisively to take the game 12-10.
In the third game, Jang took a 3-0 lead, but Lin rallied to 5-6. Jang called a timeout, but Lin kept attacking, leveling the score and then taking the lead at 9-6 with a powerful celebration. Jang scored, but Lin answered with a backhand attack to reach match point at 10-8. He then finished with a backhand flick and forehand smash to win 11-8, sealing the 3-0 sweep.
Yan An commented, “In this match, Lin Shidong found his best form again. His energy and focus put huge pressure on his opponent.” Lin was unfazed by China’s earlier group-stage loss to Korea, playing with unwavering determination and reminding everyone of the player who once reached world No. 1.