ZAGREB, Croatia – Korean table tennis sensations Lim Jong-hoon (Korea Exchange Bank) and Shin Yu-bin (Korean Air) have once again proven their prowess on the international stage, securing their second consecutive mixed doubles title at the WTT Contender Zagreb 2025. This victory marks their third WTT series championship of the year, further solidifying their position as a formidable force in the table tennis world.
On Friday, June 28, 2025 (local time), the top-seeded pair triumphed over China's Huang Youzheng and Chen Yi in a commanding 3-0 (12-10, 11-8, 11-9) victory in the final match held in Zagreb, Croatia. This win comes hot on the heels of their success at last week's WTT Star Contender Ljubljana, where they also clinched the mixed doubles gold, defeating Brazil's Hugo Calderano and Bruna Takahashi in straight sets (12-10, 11-7, 11-7). Their first WTT title of 2025 was earned at the WTT Star Contender Chennai in March, where they also swept aside Japan's Maharu Yoshimura and Satsuki Odo with a 3-0 (11-8, 11-5, 11-4) scoreline.
Lim and Shin, widely recognized as a world-class mixed doubles pair, boast an impressive resume that includes a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and another bronze at the 2025 ITTF World Championships. Their consistent high-level performance underscores their exceptional synergy and individual skill.
The path to victory in Zagreb was paved with decisive wins. In the Round of 16, they comfortably defeated Turkey's Abdullah Yigenler and Oz Yilmaz. They then overcame China's Yuan Licen and Xu Yi in the quarterfinals, followed by a strong performance against the Japanese siblings Tomokazu and Miwa Harimoto in the semifinals. Throughout these four matches leading to the final, Lim and Shin displayed remarkable dominance, not dropping a single set – a testament to their unwavering focus and strategic execution.
The final against the Chinese duo was no exception to their dominant run. The Korean pair seized the momentum early, securing the first game 12-10 after a deuce. They continued their offensive in the second game, converting a 6-7 deficit into a 10-7 lead with four consecutive points, ultimately taking the game 11-8. Despite a fierce comeback attempt from the Chinese pair in the third game, Lim and Shin maintained their composure, holding their nerve to secure the game 11-9 after leading 8-7, sealing a comprehensive 3-0 victory and the gold medal.
While Lim and Shin celebrated their mixed doubles triumph, other Korean players faced tougher challenges in their respective events. Lim Jong-hoon also competed in the men's doubles with An Jae-hyun (Korea Exchange Bank) but fell short in the semifinals, losing 1-3 (8-11, 9-11, 12-10, 7-11) to China's Huang Youzheng and Xue Fei, earning a bronze medal. An Jae-hyun, the sole Korean to reach the singles semifinals, was defeated 0-3 (9-11, 10-12, 5-11) by China's Chen Yuanyu. In the women's doubles, Kim Na-young and Yoo Han-na (POSCO International) also experienced a semifinal exit, losing 0-3 (9-11, 8-11, 6-11) to Japan's Sakura Yokoi and Hitomi Sato.
Despite these setbacks in other categories, the remarkable back-to-back mixed doubles titles for Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin highlight their exceptional partnership and elevate Korea's standing in the global table tennis landscape.
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