Lin Yun-Ju: the Taiwanese lefty who has stayed near the top for years
Lin Yun-Ju is a Taiwanese table tennis player born in 2001, a left-handed shakehand attacker. He won Olympic bronze in mixed doubles at Tokyo 2020, silver in men's doubles at the 2025 World Championships and WTT Champions Doha in January 2026. His best ranking is No. 5.
In this article
Lin Yun-Ju is the biggest name in Taiwanese table tennis and one of the most dangerous lefties on tour. He has been reaching late rounds of major events since his teens, and in 2026 he won a singles title again after a long drought. This page covers Lin Yun-Ju's career, titles and playing style.
Who is Lin Yun-Ju
Lin Yun-Ju was born on 17 August 2001 in Yuanshan, Yilan County, Taiwan. He is left-handed and plays the shakehand grip. He is 1.74 m tall. His international results are recorded under Chinese Taipei (TPE).
Lin Yun-Ju's titles
| Competition | Results |
|---|---|
| Olympics | Mixed doubles bronze at Tokyo 2020; 4th in singles |
| World Championships | Men's doubles silver in 2025; mixed doubles bronze in 2021 |
| World Cup | Bronze in 2019 |
| Asian Games | Team bronze in 2018; doubles and team bronze in 2022 |
| WTT | Champions Doha 2026 |
| Ranking | Career high: No. 5 |
Tokyo 2020 and the Worlds
In Tokyo, Lin won mixed doubles bronze alongside Cheng I-ching and finished 4th in singles. In 2021 he took mixed doubles bronze again at the World Championships. In 2025, with Kao Cheng-jui, he reached the men's doubles final in Doha and won silver.
2026: ending the drought
In January 2026 Lin won WTT Champions Doha, beating South Korea's Jang Woo-jin and ending a 798-day wait for a singles title. He was also a finalist at the Singapore Smash in March and at the China Smash in October, where he lost the final to Sora Matsushima. In October 2026 he is world No. 6. See the table tennis world ranking.
Playing style
Lin is a left-handed shakehand attacker. What counts most in his game:
- A powerful forehand, used to finish points in the first few balls.
- Fast tempo and play close to the table.
- Left-handed: serve and cross-court angles trouble many right-handers. See how to play against a lefty.
- Strong in doubles, with titles and medals alongside Cheng I-ching and Kao Cheng-jui. More on playing styles.
Recent results on the tour
| Year | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 15 | 9 |
| Total | 15 | 9 |
| L | WTT Champions Montpellier 2026 2026-10-29 | Men's singles Round of 16 | Jang Woojin KOR vs Lin Yun-Ju TPE 3-2 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 9-11, 12-10 |
| W | WTT Champions Montpellier 2026 2026-10-27 | Men's singles Round of 32 | Joao Geraldo POR vs Lin Yun-Ju TPE 2-3 11-8, 4-11, 11-5, 4-11, 6-11 |
| L | China Smash 2026 2026-10-11 | Men's singles Final | Lin Yun-Ju TPE vs Matsushima Sora JPN 3-4 7-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 9-11 |
| W | China Smash 2026 2026-10-11 | Men's singles Semifinals | Hugo Calderano BRA vs Lin Yun-Ju TPE 3-4 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 8-11, 4-11, 11-3, 5-11 |
| W | China Smash 2026 2026-10-10 | Men's singles Quarterfinals | Truls Moregard SWE vs Lin Yun-Ju TPE 0-4 7-11, 9-11, 9-11, 7-11 |
| L | China Smash 2026 2026-10-09 | Mixed doubles Final | Lim Jonghoon / Shin Yubin KOR vs Lin Yun-Ju / Cheng I- Ching TPE 3-2 12-14, 11-9, 16-18, 13-11, 11-8 |
| W | China Smash 2026 2026-10-08 | Men's singles Round of 16 | Oh Junsung KOR vs Lin Yun-Ju TPE 2-3 9-11, 8-11, 14-12, 11-7, 11-13 |
| W | China Smash 2026 2026-10-08 | Mixed doubles Semifinals | Lin Yun-Ju / Cheng I- Ching TPE vs Manush Shah / Diya Chitale IND 3-1 11-7, 9-11, 12-10, 11-4 |
Source: WTT official results. Updated October 31, 2026. worldtabletennis.com
Frequently asked questions
Who is Lin Yun-Ju?
He is a Taiwanese player born in 2001, left-handed, shakehand, and Olympic bronze medallist in mixed doubles at Tokyo 2020.
Is Lin Yun-Ju left-handed?
Yes. He plays with his left hand using the shakehand grip.
What is Lin Yun-Ju's highest ranking?
World No. 5, in August 2021. In October 2026 he is No. 6.
Did Lin Yun-Ju win an Olympic medal?
Yes, bronze in mixed doubles at Tokyo 2020 with Cheng I-ching.