Han Ying: the Chinese-born chopper who leads German table tennis
Han Ying was born in China in 1983, has been German since 2010 and is a right-handed defensive chopper. She won Olympic team silver at Rio 2016, team bronze at the 2022 and 2026 Worlds, and the Europe Top 16 in 2023 and 2025. Her best ranking is No. 6.
In this article
Han Ying is one of the big names in European table tennis and one of the few defensive players still fighting for titles at the highest level. Born in China, she has played for Germany since 2010. This page covers Han Ying's career, titles and style.
Who is Han Ying
Han Ying was born on 29 April 1983 in Shenyang, Liaoning, China. She is right-handed and a defensive chopper. She moved to Germany in 2002 and has been a German citizen since 2010. She made her Olympic debut at 33.
Han Ying's titles
| Competition | Results |
|---|---|
| Olympics | Team silver at Rio 2016; team 4th at Tokyo 2020 |
| World Championships | Team bronze in 2022 and 2026 |
| European Championships | Team gold in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2023; mixed doubles gold in 2018, with Ruwen Filus |
| European Games | Team gold in 2015 and 2019; singles silver in 2019 |
| Europe Top 16 | Champion in 2023 and 2025 |
| Ranking | Career high: No. 6, in 2017 |
Rio 2016 and the Worlds
In Rio, Han won team silver with Germany. In Tokyo the team finished fourth. At the World Team Championships, Germany took bronze in Chengdu in 2022 and in London in 2026.
Europe Top 16 and the injury comeback
In 2023, aged 39 years and 10 months, Han won the Europe Top 16 in Montreux, becoming the oldest champion in the event's history. In early 2024 a torn Achilles tendon kept her away from the table, but in February 2025 she won in Montreux again. In October 2026 she is world No. 16. See the table tennis world ranking.
Playing style
Han is a defensive chopper: she answers attacking shots with deep backspin and waits for the opponent's mistake or a chance to counter-attack, a rare style today. See how the chop works.
Recent results on the tour
| Year | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 5 |
| Total | 6 | 5 |
| L | WTT Champions Montpellier 2026 2026-10-27 | Women's singles Round of 32 | Ying Han GER vs Elizabeta Samara ROU 1-3 8-11, 4-11, 11-8, 7-11 |
| L | China Smash 2026 2026-10-04 | Women's singles Round of 64 | He Zhuojia CHN vs Ying Han GER 3-0 16-14, 11-6, 11-4 |
| L | WTT Champions Macao 2026 2026-09-12 | Women's singles Quarterfinals | Chen Yi CHN vs Ying Han GER 4-0 11-8, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8 |
| W | WTT Champions Macao 2026 2026-09-11 | Women's singles Round of 16 | Natalia Bajor POL vs Ying Han GER 2-3 14-12, 2-11, 11-5, 9-11, 5-11 |
| W | WTT Champions Macao 2026 2026-09-09 | Women's singles Round of 32 | Ying Han GER vs Kuai Man CHN 3-2 6-11, 11-8, 11-3, 10-12, 11-6 |
| L | Europe Smash - Sweden 2026 2026-08-14 | Women's singles Round of 16 | Ying Han GER vs Harimoto Miwa JPN 0-3 4-11, 9-11, 10-12 |
| W | Europe Smash - Sweden 2026 2026-08-13 | Women's singles Round of 32 | Ying Han GER vs Zeng Jian SGP 3-1 11-5, 11-4, 9-11, 11-6 |
| W | Europe Smash - Sweden 2026 2026-08-10 | Women's singles Round of 64 | Ying Han GER vs Natalia Bajor POL 3-1 10-12, 11-3, 11-3, 11-8 |
Source: WTT official results. Updated October 31, 2026. worldtabletennis.com
Frequently asked questions
Who is Han Ying?
She is a player born in China in 1983 who has played for Germany since 2010. She is right-handed and a defensive chopper.
Did Han Ying win an Olympic medal?
Yes, team silver at Rio 2016, with Germany.
What is Han Ying's highest ranking?
World No. 6, in 2017. In October 2026 she is No. 16.
Is Han Ying still playing?
Yes. In October 2026 she is still on tour, ranked No. 16 in the world.