Shenzhen demonstrated itself as a title contender with two straight victories as the 2020 China Table Tennis Super League (CTTSL) kicked off here on Monday.

The Shenzhen side, featuring women's star players Chen Meng, Sun Yingsha, and Wang Yidi, conquered the league debutants ITTF World Professionals 3-0, before powering past Shanxi with the same scoreline.

This season's Chinese league has adopted the same match format as the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, with a doubles match being played first.

The ITTF World Professionals team comprises five paddlers from other associations, namely Adriana Diaz (Puerto Rico), Lily Zhang (United States), Jeon Ji-hee (South Korea), Doo Hoi Kem (Hong Kong, China), and Cheng I-Ching (Chinese Taipei).

Shenzhen went ahead as Wang/Sun sailed past Cheng/Diaz 11-6, 11-5, 11-5. Chen, who won the World Cup and ITTF Finals titles last month, followed with an 11-4, 11-8, 11-5 victory over Zhang. Then Sun secured Shenzhen's win by defeating Diaz 15-13, 11-9, 11-5.

The ITTF World Professionals bounced back in the evening session by beating Heilongjiang 3-1. Apart from Shanxi and Heilongjiang, the other winner in the first round, Chengdu also faltered in the second round, losing to Shandong 3-1, making Shenzhen the only undefeated side so far.

In the men's category, Grand Slam winner Ma Long helped Shandong Luneng seal a 3-0 victory over Bazhou to kick off their league campaign on a high.

Ma easily shrugged off Niu Guankai 11-6, 11-1, 11-6, following a doubles victory by Fang Bo/Wang Chuqin after four games. Wang finished it off by beating Liang Yanning in straight games.

Other winning sides in men's first round are Shandong Weiqiao, Shanghai, and Shantou.

The CTTSL continues on Tuesday with two rounds in the men's competition and the women's third round matches.

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