On November 15, in the Women’s Singles semifinals at the National Games, Zhu Yuling faced world No.1 Sun Yingsha and lost 1-4. During the match, Zhu wore earplugs, sparking attention.
After winning the first game 11-9, she inserted earplugs during the interval to reduce noise distractions. She lost the next four games 4-11, 10-12, 11-13, 6-11, missing the final.
Post-match, Zhu explained: “My heart was a bit uncomfortable, heart rate was high. I just wanted to regain focus and calm my heart rate with the earplugs.” She acknowledged a skill gap with Sun but hopes frequent matches will help her improve.
