Zhu Yuling (Photo WTT)
2026 couldn’t have opened any better for Zhu Yuling, who has emerged as back-to-back champion at Lusail Sports Arena after beating Hitomi Sato 5-11, 11-13, 11-7, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5 to claim the WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 title
Picking up her first WTT Champions success in this very city just last week, Yuling is yet to taste defeat on WTT Series 2026, adding five more wins this week off the back of the five she picked up last week, making that 10 out of 10.
That perfect record very nearly came undone at the semifinal hurdle on Sunday, with Yuling pulling off a match point save to deny Satsuki Odo, and the final would prove equally as challenging.
Facing off against the unshakable defensive prowess of Hitomi Sato, the Japanese star hadn’t dropped a single game in the lead up to the final, and she looked to be well on her way to another outstanding victory, sweeping the opening two games of the title match.
But Yuling would eventually find the breakthrough she was looking for, hitting back in the third to get the ball rolling. The former World No.1 had cracked the code, and from that point on it was one-way traffic. Patiently waiting for her moment to strike, Zhu began to pick apart her opponent’s defensive stance, chalking up four games on the bounce to deny Sato at the last.
The men’s singles honours ended up going Zhou Qihao’s way, who laid claim to his first WTT Star Contender title, and his first WTT Series success since WTT Contender Lagos 2023.
His opponent in the final, Wen Ruibo, had impressed all week, signalling his intent with a stunning semifinal win over No.2 seed Hugo Calderano.
Despite starting the final brightly, the 19-year-old would ultimately fall short. Qihao, a player who has been there and done it in finals before, lent on his experience to expertly navigate the occasion, staying grounded in the heat of battle to reach the finish line first 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7, 5-11, 11-8.
Earlier in the day, Wong Chun Ting-Doo Hoi Kem finally got their hands on the WTT Series trophy that had eluded them for years, taking home the Mixed Doubles title in Doha.
One of the sport’s longest running partnerships, combining forces for the first time well over a decade ago, Chun Ting-Hoi Kem know everything there is to know about each other’s game, and their vast experience would prove pivotal in deciding Sunday’s title clash.
Weathering an early storm, the Hong Kong, China duo would find their mojo in game two and didn’t look back from there, punishing Park Ganghyeon-Kim Nayeong who failed to take advantage at 7-9 up in the third before kicking on to finish the job in four 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5.
