The South Korean table tennis team is preparing for the 2025 World Table Tennis Championships in Doha, aiming for medals in three doubles events

The 2025 Doha World Table Tennis Championships will be held on May 16~25. In order to repeat the glory of winning three medals at the 2023 World Table Tennis Championships in Durban, the Korean team is stepping up preparations in Jincheon Players' Village, striving to achieve good results in all five events, including men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles.

South Korea's mixed doubles powerhouse Lim Jong-hoon/Shin Yu-bin who won bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics

The Korean table tennis men's team led by Coach Oh Sang-yun is composed of signature players Jang Woo-jin, Im Jong-hoon, Ahn Jae-hyun, Oh Jun-sung and Cho Dae-sung. In addition, the women's team commanded by coach Shi Eun-mi will have ace players Shin Yu-bin, Lee Eun-hye, Park Ga-hyun, Seo Hyo-won, Kim Na-young, and Yoo Han-na.

The men's doubles consisted of Lim Jong-hoon/Ahn Jae-hyun and Jang Woo-jin/Cho Dae-sung, while the women's doubles consisted of Shin Yu-bin/Yoo Han-na, Kim Na-young/Lee Eun-hye. In the mixed doubles, Lim Jong-hoon/Shin Yu-bin and Cho Dae-sung/Kim Na-young will play as a duo.

2025 World Table Tennis Championships in Doha 5 individual championship trophies

The Korean table tennis men's and women's teams have made greater efforts in the doubles event according to the "selection and concentration" strategy. Because they have a better chance of winning medals in three doubles events, including men's and women's doubles and mixed doubles, than singles. South Korea won three medals in doubles alone at the World Table Tennis Championships in Durban in May 2023. In the men's doubles competition, Jang Woo-jin/Lim Jong-hoon won the silver medal and Lee Sang-so/Cho Dae-sung won the bronze medal. In addition, in the women's doubles competition, Shin Yubin partnered the retired Tian Zhixi to win the silver medal, and the two reached the women's doubles final, which is the first feat in 36 years after Hyun Jinghe/Liang Yingzi, who won the World Table Tennis Championships in New Delhi in 1987.

Then at last year's Paris Olympics, Lim Jong-hoon/Shin Yu-bin won a valuable bronze medal in the mixed doubles competition. In Men's Doubles, Lim Jong-hoon/Ahn Jae-hyun dominated the WTT Star Challenge Chennai in March after winning the men's doubles gold medal for South Korea for the first time in 32 years at the Asian Championships in October. Lim Jong-hoon/Ahn Jae-hyun then rode on to win the men's doubles title at the 2025 All Korea Variety Championships in Gangneung last week, continuing their upward trend.

Tian Zhixi and Shen Yubin (right) teamed up to win the silver medal in women's doubles at the 2023 World Table Tennis Championships in Durban

Women's doubles pair Shin Yubin/Liu Hannah are experimenting with a new collaboration. Tian Zhixi, who once cooperated with Shin Yubin to win the silver medal in women's doubles at the World Table Tennis Championships in Durban, withdrew from the South Korean national team, and as Shin Yubin's new partner, Liu Hanna is taking over Tian Zhixi. Shin Yubin/Liu Hannah finished runners-up in the women's doubles at the 2025 WTT Star Challenge Chennai, showing the possibility of a medal at the World Series. At the same time, after winning bronze at the Paris Olympics, Lim Jong-hoon/Shin Yu-bin, who won the mixed doubles championship at the 2025 WTT Star Challenge Chennai, are also full of expectations for this World Table Tennis Championships.

The head coach of the men's team, Wu Shangyin, said: "There is a good chance of winning a medal in doubles, so the training schedule is also focused on doubles. The match between Lim Jong-hoon and Ahn Jae-hyun is going well, so they are preparing in all directions. ”

Partnered with Lim Jong-hoon (right) and Ahn Jae-hyun, who won the men's doubles title at the 2025 WTT Star Challenge Chennai

Women's head coach Shi Enmei explained: "There were ambushes in both the women's doubles and mixed doubles, but the draw was not bad. It is important to analyze the opponent through the game video and how to arrange the tactics. Coach Shi continued, "Shin Yubin will compete in three events: singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, so he is training to strengthen his physical fitness. ”