On Sunday, Sun Yingsha swept Japan’s Sakura Oto 4-0 in the women’s singles quarterfinals at the WTT Yokohama Champions, securing her place in the semifinals. Today, she defeated her Shi Xunyao 4-1 in the women’s singles semifinals, advancing to the final first.

Sun Yingsha was born in 2000 in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province. She showed remarkable table tennis talent from a very young age. Starting professional training at the Shijiazhuang Table Tennis School when she was just five years old, she later advanced to the Hebei provincial team. Her outstanding performances led to her selection for the Chinese National Team in 2017.

That same year, 17-year-old Sun made an immediate impact on the international stage. At the Japan Open, she defeated several top-ranked players to win both the women’s singles and doubles titles. This amazing success marked her arrival as a major player in world table tennis, earning her the nickname “Little Devil” among fans due to her fierce play.

Since her breakthrough in 2017, Sun has dominated major international competitions. Known for her incredible speed, powerful shots, and calmness under pressure, her major victories include winning gold in both singles and mixed doubles at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. In 2019, she and Wang Manyu won the women’s doubles title at the World Table Tennis Championships. She claimed her first World Championships singles title in 2023, becoming the first player born in the 2000s to achieve this. She also won the ITTF Women’s World Cup title in Macao in 2024 after a difficult seven-game final.

At her first Olympics in Tokyo (held in 2021), Sun won a silver medal in women’s singles and helped the Chinese team win gold in the women’s team event. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, she won China’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in mixed doubles with Wang Chuqin. She also helped the Chinese women’s team successfully defend their team gold medal and earned another silver medal in the women’s singles. As a key member of the Chinese team, Sun Yingsha aims to continue her success and pursue further glory at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

1. 1.When did Sun begin her professional training?

A    In 2000.

B    In 2005.

C    In 2017.

D    In 2018.

2. 2.What might win Sun the nickname “Little Devil”?

A    Her young age.

B    Her strong opponents.

C    Her fast speed.

D    Her fierce play.

3. 3.What did Sun do when she was 18 years old?

A    She joined the national team.

B    She won Japan Open titles.

C    She won Youth Olympic golds.

D    She won World Cup title.

4. 4.What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?

A    Sun’s future goals.

B    Sun’s Olympic achievements.

C    Sun’s training methods.

D    Sun’s school education.