TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Lin Yun-Ju (林昀儒) crushed Japan's Hiroto Shinozuka (篠塚大登) Friday (Nov. 21) in straight sets 11-6, 11-6, 11-5 at the WTT Star Contender Muscat 2025 men's singles round of 16. The fourth-seeded Lin advanced to quarterfinals, extending his winning streak against Shinozuka with his third consecutive victory.
Lin dominated from the opening, securing the first two sets with identical 11-6 scores. Shinozuka briefly leveled the third set at 5-5, but Lin responded with a decisive 6-0 run to clinch 11-5. Lin faces Alexis Lebrun next in their second encounter after their previous mixed doubles quarterfinal match.
Taiwan's world No. 54 Feng Yi-hsin (馮翊新) exited the tournament, falling 11-13, 6-11, 9-11 to world No. 7 Felix Lebrun, the 19-year-old French rising star. Women's singles players Ye Yi-tian and Cheng I-ching (鄭怡靜) were also eliminated. Lin remains Taiwan's sole representative in the men's singles competition.
In mixed doubles, Lin and partner Cheng I-ching (鄭怡靜), ranked ninth globally, reached the final with semifinal victory Saturday (Nov. 22). The duo overcame wildcard entrants Yuan Jia Nan (袁嘉楠) and Alexis Lebrun in five games on Nov. 20. They later defeated India's Diya Chitale and Manush Shah 3-1, securing their gold medal match opportunity. ◼
