DOHA, 7 March 2004 — China’s women beat Hong Kong 3-0 to capture their sixth consecutive gold at the World Table Tennis Team Championships here yesterday. In a largely one-sided affair the reigning champions’ top player, Zhang Yining, set China on their way, dropping just one set against Tie Yana.
Wang Nan than came off best in a five setter against Lau Sui Fei, before 16-year-old Guo Yue came from a set down to defeat Zhang Rui 3-1.
The top seeds have looked a class above their rivals this week, and hard though Hong Kong tried they could not come up with a way of breaking through the impregnable Chinese wall.
China coach Lu Yuansheng said: “China are used to winning all their games 3-0. With the new rules the gap between us and other countries is closer, that is why the competition has been so exciting here this week.”
Lu has mixed and matched his squad in Qatar and he caused a minor surprise picking team-championship debutant Guo, who had only previously played one match, over a more seasoned competitor like Li Ju or Niu Jianfeng.
Wang, who intends to take up politics when she finally hangs up her bat, said this latest world championship medal had given her particular pride. “You might forget but China lost gold in the last Asian Games, so to win this is significant. And also to win it alongside the younger players makes it a little special.”
Zhang started slowly against Tie, who raced into a 5-1 lead in the opening set. “It was beyond my dreams to have a lead like that against Zhang,” smiled Tie.
Zhang overcame that blip to edge the first set 12-10 then lost the next 9-11. But she quelled any potential of a rebellion against her supremacy taking the third 11-8 and although Tie saved one match point in the fourth she was unable to repeat the feat when the second came around.
Wang then took to the appropriately red-matted stage and cheered on by a vocal band of supporters she made it 2-0 for China, despite losing the first and third sets against the high-serving Lau.
The baton was then passed to Guo who repaid in full the confidence shown in her by her coach. After losing the first set against Zhang Rui, a former teammate before the latter moved to Hong Kong, she hit form to reel off the next three to seal victory.
For the record, China’s women won their first world gold at Ljubljana in 1965. After regaining the title in 1975 they have only relinquished it once since, to a united Korean team in 1991.
China are also firm favorites to beat Germany in the men’s final today. “I’m confident the Chinese team will become champions again,” predicted Wang.
Germany earned the right to take on Ma Lin and company after defeating South Korea 3-1 in a one-off semifinal.
Under normal circumstances Germany should be heading home by now as they were routed by the Chinese on Friday in a meeting of the two Group winners. But under the new and benevolent format devised by the sport’s governing body, the ITTF, in place for the first time in Qatar, the fifth seeds now have a second chance.
“We’re going to go away now and think how we can change our game to beat the Chinese, but it’s hard to think of what we can do,” said Jorg Rosskopf, who had beaten Korea’s Oh Sang Eun in five sets to leave the match poised at 2-1 in Germany’s favor.
German No. 1 Timo Boll, who won the opener dropping just one set against Joo Se Hyuk, returned to the table to seal Germany’s final berth with a straight sets win over Ryu Seung Min. It was Ryu who had given the Asians hope when seeing off Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth in a five setter to level the tie at 1-1.
“We’re going to enjoy the game tomorrow,” said Rosskopf.
