The 2024 Women's Table Tennis Super League (乒超) final concluded with Shandong Luneng winning the championship over Shenzhen University with a total score of 3-2. Sun Yingsha, leading Shenzhen University, was unable to defend their title.
During the match, both teams fought fiercely until the decisive set of the decisive game, demonstrating their full commitment. However, there were two controversies during the game. Firstly, in the match between Sun Yingsha and Qian Tianyi, the "Little Demon King" questioned whether her shot should have been awarded a point due to an edge touch, but this was denied by Qian Tianyi. The referee did not allow a replay review and ruled that it was not an edge touch.
In the decisive set, Wang Manyu faced the young player Tan Yuxuan. Initially thought to be a one-sided match, it became contentious when there was a dispute over whether Tan Yuxuan's ball bounced twice on the table before being returned. The argument dragged on, with the audience becoming unruly, creating a chaotic atmosphere akin to a vegetable market. Wang Manyu even argued with the coach and Sun Yingsha on the sidelines to prove her point, highlighting the intense rivalry in the match. After all, Sun Yingsha had already faced a controversial call regarding an edge touch, and her teammate Tan Yuxuan was gaining momentum in the decisive set, so they hoped to contest more.
Notably, many of Sun Yingsha's fans were dissatisfied after the match, questioning the referee's differential treatment: "Why can't Sun Yingsha see the replay when the referee doesn't allow it, yet Shandong Luneng can see the replay for a disputed ball in the decisive set?" Famous journalist He Xiaolong, however, presented a different perspective post-match, stating that Shandong Luneng never requested a replay throughout the match, and both disputed calls were initiated by Shenzhen University.
Furthermore, He Xiaolong pointed out that under current rules, the decision to review a replay is at the discretion of the referee. Even with the Hawk-Eye replay system in place, each team only has two challenges: "If unlimited challenges were allowed, could one deliberately claim an edge touch knowing it wasn't one, just to mess with the opponent's mindset? Would such tactics be used without restraint?"
After the match, both Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu made statements. Sun Yingsha believed that both teams performed at a high level, and although Shenzhen University failed to defend their title, the whole team was satisfied with their performance today. The "Little Demon King" let go of the incident and happily smiled while wearing the silver medal at the award ceremony, a mentality worthy of admiration. Her teammate Wu Yonglin praised Sun Yingsha for providing emotional value, saying she learned a lot.
Wang Manyu expressed that national teammates know each other well, and every match is intense. The ability to win the final was due to the team's cohesion, unity, and consistent goals.