Chinese Taipei pair shut out world doubles runners-up Chinese Taipei pair Chang Yen-Shu/ Chiang Peng-Lung eliminated defending runners-up Timo Boll and Christian Suss to reach the men's doubles semifinals at the world table tennis championships on Thursday. Chang/Chiang nipped the Germans 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9 to face Chinese Wang Hao/Wang Liqin. "After the third game the Germans changed their services," said Chang. "They served long sometimes, we concentrated on making sure we put the ball on the table. In 2001 we made the semis. It's great to have done that again." Chang and Chiang, both right handed penhold grip players, excelled when it came to play close the net. A major advantage of the penhold grip is that it tends to be superior to the shakehands grip near the net. Both looked for their forehand topspin strokes at every opportunity and with consistency being the order of the day, they prevailed. Wang Hao/Wang Liqin reached the semifinals after beating Japanese Seiya Kishikawa/Jun Mizutani 11-5, 11-8, 11-8, 14-16, 6-11, 11-7. Top-ranked Chen Qi/Ma Lin from China ousted South Korea's Lee Jung Woo/Oh Sang Eun 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-6. Ko Lai Chak/Li Ching from Hong Kong, China, made it to the semis after beating Serbia's Aleksandar Karakasevic/Slobodan Grujic 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-4, 11-6. Source: Xinhua
Another CHN supremacy sport beside badminton. With top-names like Wang Hao,Ma Lin,Wang Liqin,Zhang Yining,Wang Nan obviously bright opportunity for CHN to make clean-sweep in Croatia capital.
Chen/Ma beat Wang/Wang in the all-Chinese men's doubles final ZAGREB, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Chen Qi/Ma Lin beat Wang Liqin/Wang Hao in the all-Chinese men's doubles final at the world table tennis championships here on Saturday. The score was 6-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-9.
Guo Yue wins women's singles gold ZAGREB - Guo Yue won the women's singles gold medal at the world table tennis championships on Saturday after beating fellow Chinese Li Xiaoxia by four sets to three in the final. World number four Guo staged a spirited comeback from three sets to one down to claim her first world championship title after she had dislodged 2006 winner and top seed Zhang Yining in the semi-finals earlier in the day. The final produced a thrilling battle of Chinese teenagers in which the 19-year-old Guo recovered from a slow start to beat 18-year-old Li 8-11 11-7 4-11 2-11 11-5 11-2 11-8. Li had also made an upset in the semi-finals, defeating world number three compatriot Guo Yan to finish on the podium in her first world championship at senior level. In earlier matches, Guo Yue brushed aside defending champion and top seed Zhang Yining in straight sets, while 19-year-old Li Xiaoxia stormed past Guo Yan 11-7 5-11 11-5 11-5 11-5 to set up a showdown against her 18-year-old rival later in the day. World number four Guo Yue unsettled Zhang from the start with a series of stunning serves and piercing forehands that forced her opponent away from the table. There was a glimmer of hope for Zhang in a tight third set, but Guo Yue used her nimble footwork to stay in control and take the match 11-8 11-7 11-9 11-4. Li Xiaoxia took charge of her match midway through the third set when she scored six points in a row to take a 2-1 lead before finishing off the contest in emphatic style. World number three Guo Yan appeared unsettled after being sanctioned three times for an illegal serve and was also unable to find an answer to her opponent's backhand.
Zhang/Wang win women's doubles gold ZAGREB, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Defending Olympic and world champion Wang Nan/Zhang Yining beat fellow Chinese Guo Yue/Li Xiaoxia 11-5,11-6, 13-11, 11-9 to win the women's doubles gold medal at the world table tennis championships here on Sunday. South Korea's Kim Kyung Ah/Park Mi Young and Singapore's Li JiaWei/Wang Yue Gu, the losing semifinalists, picked bronze medals.
Wang Liqin wins men’s singles gold ZAGREB: Wang Liqin rallied to defend his title in the men’s singles yesterday at the World Table-tennis Championships, while Zhang Yining and Wang Nan retained their women’s doubles title. Wang Liqin, who trailed 3-1 in sets, defeated top-ranked Ma Long of China 4-11, 8-11, 11-5, 4-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6. It was Liqin’s second gold in three finals after winning the mixed finals with Guo Yue on Friday. Ma led the fifth set 7-1 but Liqin recovered to equal the record of Zhuang Zedong of China with three world titles. Olympic and world champions Zhang Yining and Wang Nan easily beat Guo and Li Xiaoxia 11-5, 11-6, 13-11, 11-9. China dominated the championships and took all five gold medals. Guo, 18, beat Li on Saturday to become the youngest woman to win gold in the singles after knocking out Olympic and world champion Zhang Yining in the semi-finals. Olympic champions Ma Lin and Chen Qi won the men’s doubles title on Saturday. China emulated their 2005 tally by collecting 13 of the 15 medals on offer in Zagreb.
It's sad to see Ma Lin lose yet again in a world championship gold medal match (3 times unlucky)! However, kudos to Wang Liqin as he's really asserted that he is one of the greatest players ever in history with his 3rd WTTC win, equalling Zhuang Zedong's modern day record. This may also have been the last time we see the legendary Wang Nan play at the worlds...
Yeah, I understand how Ma Lin felt after losing the match...It's just 4 points away from the title. So close yet so far. Ma Lin (3-time finalist in World Championship) has already won World Cup 4 times. Wang Li Qin (3-time World Champion), on the other hands, has never won a World Cup. What a contrast. I'm sure both of them will go all out in Beijing next year. Wang Nan just surpassed Deng Ya Ping in terms of world champion collection (20 against 18). Bravo.....
