Jha Collects Championship No. 7, Moyland Completes Finals Day Hat-Trick at 2026 U.S. Nationals

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Kanak Jha and Sally Moyland successfully defended their U.S. national singles titles Sunday, repeating as men's and women's champions at the 2026 U.S. National Table Tennis Championships.

"When it went to the seventh game, I knew I had to have it," Jha said after the championship.,” Jha said after the championship.

Jha took his seventh U.S. men’s singles title in the seven-game final of the men’s final 4-3 (11-7, 9-11, 11-13, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4, 11-3) against Nikhil Kumar.

Already the all-time leader after breaking the record in 2025, Jha added to his legacy with a record-extending seventh U.S. men's singles title.

The match swung back and forth over six games, but Jha consistently found answers whenever Kumar threatened to seize control.

Jha's experience ultimately proved decisive. After splitting the first six games, the seven-time champion controlled the decider from the opening points, pulling away with an 11-3 victory to retain the national title.

"Anytime I compete in the U.S. is really special for me because I feel all the love and I feel the energy from the people here, the parents, the kids, the coaches, everybody here,” Jha said.

“I take this back when I go back to Europe. I spend a lot of time alone. I'm the only American sometimes, especially in the bigger events, Smash, Champions. I'm really happy that the kids in the U.S. have a professional player who's at the top level, someone they can look up to, because I would love to inspire the next generation.”

In the women's singles final, Sally Moyland defeated Amy Wang in a rematch of last year's championship match, successfully defending her title and finishing the tournament with three major championships on Finals Day.

“Scoreline-wise this year was definitely harder. Amy was much more prepared,” Moyland said after the win. “She was much more compact and moving. This year was a bigger challenge for sure.”

Unlike last year's meeting, Wang pushed the defending champion throughout the six-game contest, but Moyland produced the cleaner attacking play in the closing stages to retain her title with a final score of 4-2 (11-8, 11-8, 6-11, 12-14, 11-9, 11-6).

The singles title completed a remarkable Finals Day for the 19-year-old. Earlier Sunday, she teamed with Irene Yeoh to win the women's doubles championship before partnering Jishan Liang to capture mixed doubles.

“Being the top in America definitely isn't the end of my career, so it'll just be a milestone along the way,” Moyland said.

Jha continued adding to one of the most decorated careers in U.S. table tennis history, while Moyland left San Jose with three major championships and further established herself as one of the nation's brightest young stars.