Table Tennis: Lin Yun-ju withdraws from men's doubles at Nagoya Asian Games

Taiwan's top table tennis player, Lin Yun-ju, has decided to withdraw from the men's doubles competition at the upcoming Nagoya Asian Games, scheduled to begin in less than three months. This decision aims to better manage his physical stamina by reducing his participation to three events: men's singles, men's team, and mixed doubles.

Lin, currently ranked world number 7, was part of the men's team that secured a bronze medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games three years ago. He also partnered with Chuang Chih-yuan to win a bronze medal in men's doubles at the same event, defeating a Chinese pair in the quarterfinals. This year, the men's team sees a significant overhaul, with Feng Yi-hsin, Kuo Kuan-hung, Hsu Hsien-chia, and Hung Ching-kai joining Lin as first-time Asian Games participants.

Lin recently demonstrated his leadership by guiding the youngest-ever Taiwanese team to a bronze medal at the World Team Championships in London last month, boosting confidence for the upcoming Asian Games. However, to concentrate on his singles and mixed doubles campaigns, Lin will forgo men's doubles. The men's doubles events will feature the "New Taiwan Combination" of Feng Yi-hsin and Kuo Kuan-hung, who won the T2 Diamond Games men's doubles title last year and are ranked 26th globally, making them the highest-ranked Taiwanese men's doubles pair. Hung Ching-kai and Hsu Hsien-chia will form the second Taiwanese men's doubles team.

In women's doubles, top player Cheng I-ching has partnered with 18-year-old Yeo Yi-tien, with the pair set to make their debut at the US Grand Slam this week via a wildcard. The other women's doubles team consists of Chen Szu-yu and Wu Ying-hsuan from the Cathay Life team. Notably, neither Taiwanese women's doubles pair currently holds world ranking points, making it difficult for them to secure a seeding at the Asian Games.

Lin Yun-ju's previous mixed doubles campaign at the Hangzhou Asian Games, where he partnered with Chen Szu-yu, ended in a surprising defeat in the round of 32. This year, he will reunite with Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Cheng I-ching, with whom he is currently ranked 9th globally. Despite their high ranking, the pair has yet to secure a win in two appearances this year. The second mixed doubles pair will be Feng Yi-hsin and Yeo Yi-tien, forming the "Sweetheart Combination." In singles, Lin Yun-ju and Feng Yi-hsin will represent Taiwan in men's singles, while Cheng I-ching and Chen Szu-yu will compete in women's singles.