Lin Shidong: the Chinese player who was world No. 1 at 19
Lin Shidong is a Chinese table tennis player born in Hainan in 2005, a right-handed shakehand attacker. He won the 2025 WTT Singapore Smash in singles, doubles and mixed doubles and in February 2025 became the youngest world No. 1 in history. In 2026 he was team world champion.
In this article
Lin Shidong belongs to the generation renewing Chinese table tennis. In 2025, at 19, he overtook compatriot Wang Chuqin and reached the top of the world ranking. This page covers Lin Shidong's career, titles and playing style.
Who is Lin Shidong
Lin Shidong was born on 18 April 2005 in Danzhou, on Hainan island, China. He is right-handed and plays the shakehand grip. He is 1.68 m tall. He is one of the new wave following Fan Zhendong, Ma Long and Wang Chuqin. See why China dominates table tennis.
Lin Shidong's titles
| Competition | Results |
|---|---|
| World Championships | Team gold, London 2026; mixed doubles bronze, Durban 2023 |
| World Cup | Mixed team World Cup gold in 2024 and 2025; singles silver, Macao 2025 |
| Asian Championships | Team and doubles golds between 2024 and 2026 |
| WTT | Singapore Smash 2025, China Smash 2024, Champions Macao 2024, Champions Frankfurt 2024 |
| Ranking | World No. 1 in February 2025 |
2025: triple crown and No. 1
At the Singapore Smash in February 2025, Lin won the singles final against Liang Jingkun and also took the doubles and mixed doubles. With the 2,000 points from the title he passed Wang Chuqin and became the youngest world No. 1 in history, at 19, on 11 February. Sora Matsushima has since taken that record. In August 2025 he lost the Europe Smash final to Truls Möregårdh.
2026: Team Worlds and Europe Smash
In April 2026 Lin won team gold for China at the World Team Championships in London. He also won the Europe Smash mixed doubles with Kuai Man. In October 2026 he is No. 9 in the singles ranking. See the table tennis world ranking.
Playing style
Lin Shidong is a modern shakehand attacker. What stands out:
- Aggression from the first ball, typical of the Chinese school.
- Speed and precision in short rallies.
- Versatility: he wins titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
- To see how these styles compare, read playing styles and the Wang Chuqin profile.
Recent results on the tour
| Year | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 15 | 7 |
| Total | 15 | 7 |
| W | WTT Champions Montpellier 2026 2026-10-30 | Men's singles Round of 16 | Lin Shidong CHN vs An Jaehyun KOR 3-0 11-7, 11-9, 11-7 |
| W | WTT Champions Montpellier 2026 2026-10-27 | Men's singles Round of 32 | Lin Shidong CHN vs Lim Jonghoon KOR 3-0 11-7, 11-8, 11-2 |
| W | Europe Smash - Sweden 2026 2026-08-14 | Mixed doubles Final | Lin Shidong / Kuai Man CHN vs Wong Chun Ting / Doo Hoi Kem HKG 3-1 4-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-6 |
| L | Europe Smash - Sweden 2026 2026-08-14 | Men's singles Round of 16 | Lin Shidong CHN vs Alexis Lebrun FRA 2-3 11-6, 7-11, 11-9, 7-11, 8-11 |
| W | Europe Smash - Sweden 2026 2026-08-14 | Mixed doubles Semifinals | Lin Yun-Ju / Cheng I- Ching TPE vs Lin Shidong / Kuai Man CHN 0-3 5-11, 5-11, 9-11 |
| W | Europe Smash - Sweden 2026 2026-08-13 | Mixed doubles Quarterfinals | Lin Shidong / Kuai Man CHN vs Alexis Lebrun / Odo Satsuki FRA/JPN 3-0 11-4, 11-9, 12-10 |
| L | Europe Smash - Sweden 2026 2026-08-13 | Men's doubles Quarterfinals | Lin Shidong / Wen Ruibo CHN vs Alexis Lebrun / Felix Lebrun FRA 0-3 9-11, 7-11, 6-11 |
| W | Europe Smash - Sweden 2026 2026-08-13 | Men's singles Round of 32 | Lin Shidong CHN vs Kanak Jha USA 3-0 11-7, 11-3, 12-10 |
Source: WTT official results. Updated October 31, 2026. worldtabletennis.com
Frequently asked questions
Who is Lin Shidong?
He is a Chinese player born in Danzhou, Hainan, in 2005, right-handed, shakehand, who was world No. 1 in 2025.
Has Lin Shidong been world No. 1?
Yes. He reached the top on 11 February 2025, aged 19, after winning the Singapore Smash.
How old is Lin Shidong?
He was born on 18 April 2005, so he is 21.
Has Lin Shidong won the World Championships?
He won team gold at London 2026. In individual events his best Worlds result is mixed doubles bronze in 2023.