The Olympic spirit has not gone anywhere. Last July, the mixed doubles team of Lim Jong-hoon (Korea Exchange) and Shin Yu-bin (Korean Air), who played a pivotal role in breaking the long-standing deadlock for Olympic medals in Paris, stood atop the international competition once again. They won the mixed doubles at the WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 held in Chennai, India.

The Lim Jong-hoon-Shin Yu-bin team defeated Japan's Yoshimura Maharu and Odo Satsuki 3-0 (11-8, 11-5, 11-4) in the final held on the afternoon of the 30th. The system that dominated the Olympic stage remained intact. The two partners took turns defending and deciding. The opponents were formidable challengers who had defeated strong players, including Matsushima Sora and Harimoto Miwa (Japan) in the quarterfinals, and Wong Chun-ting and Du Hoikhem (Hong Kong), the top seed in the semifinals, but the Lim Jong-hoon-Shin Yu-bin team did not allow for any reversal.

The second-seeded Lim Jong-hoon-Shin Yu-bin team was, in fact, a strong favorite to win this tournament. They had an impressive record with a bronze medal from the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and another from the 2024 Paris Olympics, reflecting their long-standing partnership. As expected, they completed a series of straightforward victories, defeating Baldwin Chan and Zhu Chengzhu (Hong Kong) in the quarterfinals, home-ground Manushi Saah and Diya Chitalle (India) in the semifinals, and finally lifted the championship trophy in a Japan-Korea matchup in the final.

The Lim Jong-hoon-Shin Yu-bin team has also built up an impressive record in the WTT Contender Series. They have won five titles prior, including in Nova Gorica in 2022, and in Rio in 2023 and 2024, as well as in Lagos and Goa. This tournament victory marks their sixth title in the Contender Series, and their second victory at the higher-level Star Contender, following the Goa tournament in 2024. This result served as excellent preparation ahead of the World Table Tennis Championships in Doha in May. Lim Jong-hoon, who already won the men's doubles the day before, achieved the distinction of being a double champion in this tournament.

Meanwhile, Oh Joon-seong (18, Su-seong Broadcasting High School, No. 36 in the world) capped off the event with a brilliant finale. He defeated the surprising French player Thibaut Pourray (20, France, No. 54 in the world) in the men's singles final, which was the last match of the tournament held on the night of the 30th. He overcame a fierce battle that went the full distance. Oh Joon-seong ended the 'WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025' international table tennis tournament, which had seen intense competition over six days, in the highest position.

Oh Joon-seong showed excellent condition in this tournament. He defeated Baldwin Chan (20, Hong Kong, No. 83 in the world) 3-1 (11-9, 11-7, 6-11, 14-12) in the round of 32, Omar Assar (33, Egypt, No. 19 in the world) 3-1 (11-13, 11-8, 11-4, 11-4) in the round of 16, and Tomislav Pucar (29, Croatia, No. 42 in the world) also 3-1 (12-10, 7-11, 13-11, 11-4) in the quarterfinals. Tomislav Pucar was a strong opponent who defeated the tournament's top seed Harimoto Tomokazu (21, Japan, No. 3 in the world) in the round of 16, but Oh Joon-seong proved to be even stronger. In the semifinals, he defeated the rising French star Flavien Costong (16, No. 106 in the world) 3-0 (11-4, 12-10, 11-7) to reach the final, where he finally claimed victory after overcoming the decisive moments of a full-game battle.

Born in 2006, Oh Joon-seong is the youngest member of the Korean national team, but he is already a champion in South Korea. He set the record for the youngest male singles champion at the 2023 National Championships, and he has also won the 2024 National Championships and the President's Cup. He has performed for the national team at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, the 2023 Pyeongchang, and the 2024 ASTA Asian Championships. Notably, at the Asian Championships held in October last year in Kazakhstan's Astana, he made headlines by defeating the reigning top player Wang Chuqin (China) in the quarterfinals, advancing to the semifinals. After his impressive performance at the Asian Championships, this tournament victory reaffirmed his significant presence on the international stage.

Alongside Oh Joon-seong's victory in the men's singles, the WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 international table tennis tournament has concluded. The Korean national team won three titles: the men's doubles by Lim Jong-hoon and Ahn Jae-hyun, the mixed doubles by Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin, and Shin Yu-bin's runner-up finish in the women's doubles with Yoo Han-na, as well as third place in women's singles by Shin Yu-bin (Korean Air) and Kim Na-young (POSCO INTERNATIONAL). This tournament was also notable as it was the first international event the national team participated in under head coaches Oh Sang-eun and Seok Hee-min. The team made a promising start in their first official tournament.

Held from the 25th to the 30th in Chennai, India, this tournament was a professional tour series hosted by the World Table Tennis (WTT), an international tournament organization under the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). Although the top-level teams from China did not participate, strong players from Europe, Japan, and other countries showcased high-level competition. The men's singles winner Oh Joon-seong and the women's singles winner Harimoto Miwa received a prize of $10,000 and 600 world ranking points. Securing the momentum to elevate his world ranking significantly, this victory holds special value for Oh Joon-seong.

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