⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lim Jong-hoon, left, and Ahn Jae-hyun compete in the final at the WTT Star Contender Chennai in India on March 30. [KOREA TABLE TENNIS ASSOCIATION] 

Lim Jong-hoon and Ahn Jae-hyun secured Korea’s first World Table Tennis (WTT) title of the year, winning the men’s doubles event at the WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 in India on Sunday. The pair defeated Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto and Sora Matsushima 3-1, with scores of 11-4, 11-13, 11-2 and 11-3 in the final. 

Lim and Ahn, both Daejeon Dongsan High School alumni, formed a strong bond at the tournament. 

The pair reunited in a business league in 2023 when Lim transferred to the Korea Exchange, where Ahn plays. Their partnership immediately bore fruit, as they went on to win the National Table Tennis Championship in Korea. On the international stage, they also claimed two WTT Contender titles in Antalya and Rio de Janeiro, proving their competitiveness in international tournaments. 

Sunday's title marks another success in Lim's career that saw him medal at every major competition, including the world championships, Asian Games and Olympics. A bronze medal in the mixed doubles event alongside Shin Yu-bin at the Paris Olympics last year earned Lim an exemption from 18 months of military service. 

In the women’s doubles event earlier in the competition, Shin and Yoo Han-na finished as runners-up. The pair lost to Japan’s Miwa Harimoto and Miyu Kihara 3-2, with scores of 11-9, 11-9, 11-13, 14-12 and 11-5. Despite concerns earlier in the year after Jeon Ji-hee’s retirement, Shin and Yoo showed strong chemistry, offering hope for the future of Korean women’s doubles. 

Shin and Yoo had previously paired up as juniors, winning the 2018 Asian Junior Championships and finishing as runners-up in 2019. On the senior stage, Shin achieved notable successes, including a silver medal at the world championships, a gold medal at the Asiad and two bronze at the Paris Olympics. 

The WTT Star Contender Chennai is part of the International Table Tennis Federation’s (ITTF) global tour series. This tournament is a step above the WTT Contender level, with the singles champions earning $10,000 in prize money and 600 world ranking points. Doubles winners receive $3,500 and 600 points in the doubles rankings.