Wang glad to show three-peat sign to crowd

While 2024 was not all smooth-sailing for China's Wang Chuqin, the world No. 1 ended the year the way he started it - with a title.

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The 24-year-old secured his third consecutive men's singles crown at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals after a 4-0 (11-2, 11-8, 11-7, 11-5) thrashing of local hope Tomokazu Harimoto, 21, at the Kitakyushu General Gymnasium in Fukuoka, Japan on Nov 24.

Wang had started the year by triumphing at the 2023 WTT Finals, which were staged in Qatar in January 2024.

In the Doha final, he defeated compatriot Fan Zhendong, who had pulled out of the Fukuoka edition along with fellow Paris Olympic champions Chen Meng and Ma Long.

Wang, who pocketed US$40,000 (S$53,900) for winning the season-ending tournament, insisted that he had not expected a three-peat.

He told the WTT website: "Harimoto and I have been long-time opponents since young, we're familiar with each other's play... He's at his peak whether physically or mentally.

"I didn't expect today's outcome either, and I just made the fullest of preparation coming into this match."