Skopje, North Macedonia – June 15, 2025 – The WTT Contender Skopje 2025 concluded on Sunday with thrilling finales, seeing Benedikt Duda reclaim his winning form in the Men’s Singles and Jia Nan Yuan capture her maiden WTT Series Women’s Singles title.
Benedikt Duda of Germany showcased immense resilience and skill to emerge as the Men’s Singles champion, defeating rising Chinese star Wen Ruibo in a captivating 4-2 battle (9-11, 11-6, 5-11, 13-11, 11-6, 11-0). This victory marks Duda’s return to the top of the WTT Series, his first singles final appearance since lifting the WTT Contender Mendoza trophy last season.
The final did not start in Duda’s favor, with the 18-year-old Wen Ruibo, fresh off his upset victory over top seed Darko Jorgic in the semifinals, dominating the early exchanges and securing two of the first three games. The turning point arrived in a nail-biting fourth game. Wen held three game points at 10-7 and another at 11-10, teetering on the brink of a commanding 3-1 lead. However, Duda dug deep, denying his young opponent repeatedly before converting on his fifth attempt to take the game 13-11. This crucial win not only shattered Wen’s momentum but also ignited a resurgence in Duda’s performance.
With renewed vigor, Duda swiftly secured the fifth game 11-6, setting the stage for a dominant finish. He left no doubt in the sixth and final game, delivering an emphatic 11-0 whitewash to seal the Skopje crown.
In the Women’s Singles, France’s Jia Nan Yuan etched her name in WTT Series history, claiming her first-ever title with a resounding 4-0 triumph over Fan Shuhan (11-3, 12-10, 11-9, 11-6). Yuan displayed exceptional form throughout the tournament in North Macedonia, notably overcoming top seed Satsuki Odo and No.3 seed Shi Xunyao en route to the final.
Yuan’s commanding performance against Fan Shuhan saw her race ahead in the opening game. Despite facing a resilient challenge in the second game and letting three game points slip, Yuan remained composed, eventually clinching it 12-10. Fan mounted a spirited fight in the third, leading 8-9, but Yuan maintained her focus, denying any comeback attempts before sealing the game and ultimately the match with another controlled effort in the fourth.
Elsewhere, the Men’s Doubles title went to the Korean duo of Lim Jonghoon and Oh Junsung, who triumphed over top seeds Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah with a straight-sets victory (11-9, 11-7, 11-9). In the Women’s Doubles final, Kim Nayeong and Ryu Hanna caused an upset, overcoming top seeds Satsuki Odo and Sakura Yokoi 3-1 (11-13, 11-9, 11-1, 11-7) to secure the silverware after a shaky start.
