Shin Yubin (19, Korean Air) is all smiles after securing her first international singles medal at the Asian Games.
The Korean athlete came from behind to defeat Chinese Taipei’s Chun Zhiyou 4-1 in the women’s singles quarter-finals of the event at the Archer Canal Sports Park Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China, on Tuesday.
Hsin Yubin won a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, her first international event.
She cried “uncontrollably” in frustration, especially after being knocked out in the round of 32 singles.
But it was a different story two years later in Hangzhou.
“I was excited about the bronze medal in the team event, so it’s really exciting to have secured a bronze medal in the singles event,” she said in the post-match press area.
When asked about the factors that led to her victory, she was momentarily speechless.
When a reporter asked her, “What’s wrong?” she replied, “I’m not crying, I’m thinking, so don’t tell me what to do!” which made the press laugh.
The quarter-finals were a big test for Shin Yubin.
The 30-year-old veteran Zheng Zhiyou (ranked 48) was an unknown opponent whom Shin Yubin (ranked 8) had never faced before.
Although she is currently ranked below Yubin in the world rankings, Zhen Zhiyou was a top-10 player in the late 2010s thanks to her heavy forehand topspin.
She was in such good form that she overcame Hong Kong ace Do Hoi Kem in the round of 16.
However, Shin Yubin came from behind to win the match.
She dropped game one, but from game two onwards, she was able to block her opponent’s quick attacks with her seasoned game plan, and won four games in a row.
“In the first game, I felt my opponent was very difficult, but I didn’t panic (and) executed my game plan well afterwards, and I think it paid off,” said Xin Yubin.
His next opponent is world number one and China’s ‘ace’ Sun Yingxia.
In this tournament, Sun Yingxia has been playing an ‘otherworldly table tennis’ that no other player can match.
Xin Yubin has met Sun Yingxia four times so far and lost all four matches. In these four matches, she has not won a single game and has been swept.
“Being ranked No. 1 doesn’t make any difference,” she said, adding, “I will continue to prepare thoroughly to make sure that I have no regrets and that they come out in the match, just like I always do.”
Shin won bronze medals in the women’s team event and mixed doubles earlier in the day.
She teamed up with Jeon Jeon-hee (Mirae Asset Securities) to secure another bronze medal in the women’s doubles, defeating Chinese Taipei’s Chun Zhiyou and Huang Yihua 3-1 in the quarter-finals.
We asked her which of her medals from the tournament would take centre stage on her shelf.
“I’ll hang it in the best colour,” she smiles. “I’m going to hang it in the best colour,” she said with a smile.
After her doubles semi-final, Jeon Jeon-hee said, “Anyone who makes it to the quarter-finals has a goal of winning gold. It’s all about how you play point by point. If it goes well, the gold medal will follow,” she said with confidence. 스포츠토토
