Australia has enjoyed one of its most successful international table tennis performances, led by Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) athletes Nicholas Lum and Yangzi Liu.
Both athletes produced outstanding victories to reach the Round of 16 at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Champions Chongqing 2026.
Their results mark a significant milestone for Australian table tennis, showcasing the rising strength, depth and international competitiveness of the nation’s top athletes on the world stage.
Lum, currently Australia’s fifth ranked male athlete, delivered the performance of his career with a commanding win over Slovenia’s world number 16, Darko Jorgic.
“I knew it was going to be a very hard match against Darko, he’s an amazing player. Our first encounter was back in 2024 at the WTT Saudi Smash, where I lost 3-0 in the second round, so I was really keen to push for a better result this time around,” said Lum.
Lum’s 3–0 victory (11–8, 11–8, 12–10) was a clinical and confident display, highlighted by a remarkable comeback in the opening game after trailing 6–2. The VIS athlete stormed back to take nine of the next eleven points, setting the tone for the match.
The straight‑sets result secured Lum’s first-ever appearance in the Round of 16 at a WTT Champions event, cementing himself as a rising contender among the world’s best table tennis players.
The last set I won in deuce, so the stress was at an all-time high. After the winning shot, I remember throwing my hands in the air, turning back to my coach Ricardo, and just soaking it all in, hearing the crowd. I was just living in the moment.
Next up he faced Japan’s world number eight Sora Matsushima. Known for playing a high-level and face-paced game, Matsushima came away with a convincing 0-3 win to secure his place in the quarterfinal.
“I’m very happy with my result at this Champions event, but more importantly, I value the level of table tennis I was able to play,” reflected Lum.
“Having played good matches at this level now in Singapore and again in Chongqing, I think it shows some development in my game. I’m just going to keep working hard, keep putting in the work in the training hall, and continue striving for better results.
Image: Nicholas Lum after his defeat of Jorgic (credit: WTT)
Following Lum’s success, Australia’s top-ranked female athlete Liu stepped up and delivered a performance equally worthy of celebration. Facing Germany’s world number 11, Sabine Winter, Liu showcased aggressive, resilient play while maintaining composure under pressure to secure a superb 3–0 win (11–5, 11–9, 11–9).
Having previously defeated Winter at the 2021 WTT Feeder Düsseldorf, Liu used her familiarity with the matchup, controlling the opening game and holding strong in two tightly contested final sets.
“I’ve played against Sabine before and I was in a team with her for a few seasons in Germany. I trained with her a lot when she first changed style,” said Liu.
I was really thinking at the end just to stick to what I wanted to do. Make the right decisions, but also keep the pressure on to not go too soft. I really wanted to stop her playing her best shots and I think in the match that was the thing I did the best.
Her win advanced her to a Round of 16 meeting with Chinese sixth seed Yidi Wang who prevailed with a 3-0 victory over Liu.
Making Round of 16 appearances and the dual Round of 32 victories by Lum and Liu represent a standout achievement for Australia in one of the sport’s most competitive international arenas.
Their success reflects not only their individual dedication and progression, but also the strength of the high performance environments supporting them, including the VIS and Table Tennis Australia’s national development programs.
Both athletes will next be in action at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026, which takes place from April 28 to May 10.
Joining Lum in the Men’s Team will also be VIS athletes Aditya Sareen and Finn Luu.
Catch up on the WTT Champions action via the World Table Tennis YouTube channel.
Cover image: World Table Tennis (WTT)
