TOKYO: Japan’s new pairing of Hina Hayata and Tomokazu Harimoto made history by capturing the Grand Smash mixed doubles title in their very first WTT event together, defeating World No.14 duo Miyu Nagasaki and Shin Yubin in straight games (11–9, 11–8, 11–7).
In a composed and tactically sharp performance, Hayata and Harimoto controlled the tempo throughout the final, edging a tight opening game before raising their level in the next two to seal the title without dropping a game. The triumph marks a historic milestone, as they become the first Japanese players across any discipline to win a Grand Smash title.
Lebrun brothers dominate men’s doubles final
In the Men’s Doubles final, French siblings Félix Lebrun and Alexis Lebrun delivered a commanding performance to defeat China’s Lin Shidong and Huang Youzheng in straight games (11–6, 11–6, 11–7).
The Lebrun brothers set the tone early, racing to five game points in the opener and four more in the second game, overwhelming their opponents with aggressive shot-making and relentless pace. Maintaining their intensity in the third, the French pair closed out the match emphatically to lift the title.
Both finals showcased dominant straight-games victories, underlining the authority with which the champions claimed their Grand Smash crowns.
No.5 seed Truls Möregårdh was at the heart of one of the most gripping encounters of Singapore Smash 2026, narrowly fending off a stirring comeback from China’s Chen Yuanyu in a six-game thriller (13–11, 13–11, 11–4, 4–11, 6–11, 11–6).
Möregårdh looked in complete control after edging two tight opening games before cruising through the third. But Chen mounted a fierce response, capitalizing on a dip in intensity to claim the fourth and fifth games and threaten a remarkable turnaround from 0–3 down. With momentum shifting, the Swede regrouped just in time, rediscovering his attacking precision to close out the decider and seal his place in the semifinals.
Winter continues giant-killing run
Saturday’s quarterfinal action also belonged to Germany’s Sabine Winter, who delivered another statement victory by defeating Chinese star Wang Yidi 4–2 in a dramatic Women’s Singles clash (4–11, 11–5, 9–11, 11–5, 11–4, 11–4).
Having already eliminated former World No.1 Zhu Yuling in the previous round, Winter once again showed resilience under pressure. After falling behind twice, the German reeled off three consecutive games with fearless shot-making and tactical composure to secure one of the biggest wins of her career.
Her reward is a semifinal showdown against another Chinese powerhouse, Wang Manyu, as Winter continues her remarkable run in Singapore.
