Chen Yuanyu: the young Chinese player who beat Harimoto in Muscat
Chen Yuanyu is a Chinese table tennis player born in 2005, a right-handed shakehand attacker. He won WTT Contender Muscat in 2025 by beating Tomokazu Harimoto and took silver at the Taiyuan and Zagreb Contenders the same year. In October 2026 he is world No. 28.
Chen Yuanyu is one of the rising talents of China's new generation. In January 2025 he won his biggest title by beating the then world No. 3 in the Muscat final. This page covers Chen Yuanyu's career, titles and playing style.
Who is Chen Yuanyu
Chen Yuanyu was born on 6 July 2005 in Jinhua, China. He is right-handed and plays the shakehand grip. He is 1.83 m tall and in 2026 joined French club GV Hennebont.
Chen Yuanyu's titles
| Competition | Results |
|---|---|
| WTT singles | Contender Muscat 2025; Feeder Düsseldorf II 2024 |
| WTT doubles | Contender Durban 2023 and Feeder Amman 2023 |
| Silvers in 2025 | WTT Contender Taiyuan and WTT Contender Zagreb |
| Ranking | October 2026: No. 28 |
Career highlights
Chen Yuanyu's breakthrough was WTT Contender Muscat in January 2025. In the final he beat Japan's Tomokazu Harimoto, then world No. 3 and ranked 51 places above him, 4-2. Later in 2025 he was a finalist at the Taiyuan and Zagreb Contenders. In October 2026 he is world No. 28. See the table tennis world ranking.
Playing style
Chen Yuanyu is a right-handed shakehand attacker in the Chinese school. See the difference between the grips and the playing styles. Another name from the same generation is Wang Chuqin. What counts most:
- Offensive, proactive play, typical of Chinese players.
- The ability to upset favourites, as he showed against Harimoto.
- Versatility: he has singles and doubles titles on the WTT circuit.
Recent results on the tour
| Year | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 9 |
| Total | 3 | 9 |
| L | China Smash 2026 2026-10-04 | Men's singles Round of 64 | Chen Yuanyu CHN vs Flavien Coton FRA 2-3 11-8, 5-11, 13-11, 9-11, 6-11 |
| L | WTT Star Contender Astana 2026 - President’s Cup 2026-09-18 | Men's singles Round of 32 | Chen Yuanyu CHN vs Kawakami Ryuusei JPN 2-3 11-6, 9-11, 5-11, 11-8, 2-11 |
| L | WTT Star Contender Astana 2026 - President’s Cup 2026-09-17 | Men's doubles Round of 16 | Li Hechen / Zhou Guanhong CHN vs Chen Junsong / Chen Yuanyu CHN 3-2 14-12, 2-11, 12-10, 5-11, 11-6 |
| L | WTT Champions Macao 2026 2026-09-11 | Men's singles Round of 16 | Darko Jorgic SLO vs Chen Yuanyu CHN 3-2 11-4, 9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8 |
| W | WTT Champions Macao 2026 2026-09-08 | Men's singles Round of 32 | Omar Assar EGY vs Chen Yuanyu CHN 0-3 9-11, 7-11, 9-11 |
| L | Europe Smash - Sweden 2026 2026-08-10 | Men's singles Round of 64 | Lin Shidong CHN vs Chen Yuanyu CHN 3-1 11-9, 7-11, 11-4, 11-6 |
| L | WTT Champions Yokohama 2026 2026-08-07 | Men's singles Round of 16 | Chen Yuanyu CHN vs Jang Woojin KOR 0-3 9-11, 4-11, 6-11 |
| W | WTT Champions Yokohama 2026 2026-08-06 | Men's singles Round of 32 | Simon Gauzy FRA vs Chen Yuanyu CHN 0-3 5-11, 10-12, 2-11 |
Source: WTT official results. Updated October 31, 2026. worldtabletennis.com
Frequently asked questions
Who is Chen Yuanyu?
He is a Chinese player born in 2005 in Jinhua, right-handed, using the shakehand grip.
Did Chen Yuanyu beat Harimoto?
Yes. In the final of WTT Contender Muscat 2025 he beat Tomokazu Harimoto 4-2.
What is Chen Yuanyu's current ranking?
In October 2026 he is world No. 28.
Is Chen Yuanyu left-handed?
No. He plays with his right hand using the shakehand grip.