China's table tennis player Wang Chuqin claimed the championship at the WTT Finals Fukuoka, defeating Japan's Tomokazu Harimoto. Photo: Xinhua

China's table tennis player Wang Chuqin claimed the championship at the WTT Finals Fukuoka, defeating Japan's Tomokazu Harimoto 4-0 in the men's singles final on Sunday.  

The four games ended with scores of 11-2, 11-8, 11-7, and 11-5, with the entire match last-ing less than 40 minutes. This marked Wang's third consecutive victory over Harimoto at the WTT Finals and secured his position as the year-end world No.1. It also saw him achieve the feat of winning three consecutive men's singles titles at the WTT Finals.  

Before the match, both Wang and Harimoto shared their thoughts on the final.

"[Tomokazu Harimoto] played an excellent match against Lin Shidong. I can sense how the home crowd in Japan fuels his excitement and passion. He truly fights for every point. I will give it my all to prepare for this match, and as for the result, I'll leave it to the moment," Wang said.

"Although I've lost to Wang many times, I still have a chance to win. So I want to keep things simple, plan my strategy well, and fight until the very last moment," said Harimoto.

"Harimoto is a longtime rival. We've played against each other since we were young, so we know each other very well and have both won and lost," Wang told the media in a post-match interview.  

"I didn't expect a 4-0 win. I was well-prepared for a tough match. 2024 has been an ex-traordinary year with its ups and downs, but I'm grateful to end it by holding up three fin-gers," Wang remarked after the match.  

"Harimoto has been in great form recently, playing exceptionally well and showing his best competitive state. I didn't anticipate this scoreline before the match, as I was prepared to face many challenges," he added.

"Indeed, today in serving, receiving, rallying, and close-to-table shots, I really had nothing to beat him with. He was better than me in every aspect; he is the world No.1," Harimoto said after the match.

Chinese paddler Wang Chuqin (left) celebrates victory over Japan's Tomokazu Harimoto at the WTT Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu, Japan, on November 24, 2024. Photo: VCG

Historically, Wang holds a commanding 9-2 record against Harimoto. After an early exit in the singles competition at the Paris Olympics, he faced a slump in performance.

In Fukuoka, Wang gradually rediscovered his rhythm. In the opening round, he defeated Germany's top player Patrick Franziska and avenged his Olympic loss by overcoming Sweden's Truls Moregard in the quarterfinals. Additionally, his semifinal match saw him dispatch Darko Jorgic, ranked 16th in the world, with a confident 4-1 win.

Speaking about his ranking, Wang said, "Achieving world No. 1 feels great, but I don't place too much emphasis on the ranking itself. What matters more to me is the process of winning."

On the same day, China's Wang Manyu defeated compatriot Chen Xingtong to clinch the women's singles title. 

Speaking after the match, Chen commented, "Every teammate and opponent is incredibly strong. Since it's an all-China final, there's no pressure - I just hope we put on an exciting match."