Li Yu-jhun wins first international title at WTT Feeder Istanbul 2026

Taipei, May 15 (CNA) Taiwanese paddler Li Yu-jhun (李昱諄) claimed the women's singles title at WTT Feeder Istanbul 2026 on Thursday (Turkey time), marking the first international title of her career.

Li also reached the women's doubles final alongside Taiwan's Chien Tung-chuan (簡彤娟), with the pair finishing as runners-up.

The 28-year-old Li, currently ranked 61st in the world and seeded second at the tournament, faced 18-year-old South Korean Park Gahyeon in the championship match, having previously lost to Park in the women's singles final at WTT Feeder Otočec 2024.

Li came out firing, reeling off five consecutive points in the first game to take an early lead, before reaching game point first and claiming the opener 12-10.

Although she was on the back foot in the second game and dropped it 9-11, Li kept her composure. Despite a slow start in the third, she strung together two scoring runs to take the game 11-9.

She then dominated the fourth game, winning nine consecutive points before sealing the match and the title with an 11-2 win.

In the women's doubles, Li partnered with Chien, who represented Taiwan at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but the pair fell 1-3 to India's Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee in the final, finishing as runners-up.