Sun Yingsha was born in Shijiazhuang, Hebei, in November 2000. She was no overnight sensation — promoted to the national team in 2017, she immediately won both singles and doubles at the Japan Open and jumped into the world top 10 from nowhere. What really fixed her name in people’s minds was 2022, when she reached women’s singles world No. 1, becoming the first post-2000 player ever to top the singles ranking.

The big singles battles she ground out one by one. At the 2023 Durban Worlds she beat Chen Meng 4-2 to become the first post-2000 singles champion in Worlds history. At the 2025 Doha Worlds she held off Wang Manyu’s fightback in the decider, winning 4-3 to defend her title and extend China’s streak in Worlds women’s singles to a 16th consecutive crown. In the World Cup, after her first singles title in 2024 she defended it in 2025 and 2026, becoming the first player in the event’s history to win three in a row.

The Paris Olympics were her heaviest Games. Competing in mixed doubles, singles and the team event from July 27 to August 10, she played 14 matches across 61 games and came away with two golds and a silver. In mixed doubles, paired with Wang Chuqin, she beat North Korea’s Ri Jong-sik and Kim Kum-yong 4-2 in the final to claim China’s first-ever Olympic mixed doubles gold. In the team final she played first singles and beat Hirano Yui 3-0, helping China to a fifth straight Olympic women’s team title. In the singles final she lost 2-4 to Chen Meng; afterward she said the gold and silver were both China’s, and that she had held the bigger picture.

Holding the world No. 1 spot long term comes down to never letting up. Since returning to the top in July 2022 she has stayed at No. 1 for four straight years; by March 2026 her total weeks at No. 1 reached 200. With her technique scouted by opponents worldwide, she maintains her elite level through day-in, day-out systematic training and a constant effort to fix her own weaknesses.

From the Shijiazhuang sports school to the top of the world, Sun Yingsha’s path also reflects the depth of China’s current women’s lineup.