Top seeds Wang/Kuai clinch women's doubles title at WTT China Smash

BEIJING -- Top-ranked Chinese pair Wang Manyu and Kuai Man overcame Hina Hayata of Japan and South Korea's Joo Cheon-hui 3-1 to claim the women's doubles title at the World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash on Saturday.

Wang and Kuai, reigning world champions and winners of this year's WTT Singapore Smash, found themselves on the back foot with an 11-6 loss in the opening game.

The Chinese duo made quick adjustments afterwards, triumphing 11-8 to level the score before saving four game points in the third game to take a 13-11 win.

The two pairs went toe to toe in the fourth, drawing level at 10-10. Wang and Kuai held their nerve to snatch two points in a row to secure the title.

Despite their final defeat, Hayata and Joo already had a dream run over the past week at Shougang Park, including a second-round win over second seeds Miwa Harimoto and Satsuki Odo and a five-game semifinal victory over host pair Wang Xiaotong and Xu Yi.

Later on Saturday, Wang will contend for a women's singles final spot with Shin Yu-bin of South Korea.