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Volkswagen Open China, China Dominant

China dominated matters at the Volkswagen Open China in Nanjing on Saturday 30th June 2007; only one player who will appear in the finals on Sunday 1st July 2007 will not be representing the People’s Republic of China.

The player in question is Saki Kanazawa of Japan, who recorded a shock third round win over third seed China’s Li Xiaoxia, before beating national team compatriot, Haruna Fukuoka in the semi-finals.

However, Saki Kanazawa learnt her trade in China where as Man Li she was a member of the national team before moving to Japan.

The other three semi-finalists in the Women’s Singles event are all from China. Top seed and reigning World champion, Guo Yue beat Singapore’s Sun Bei Bei in the third round and Japan’s Ai Fukuhara in the quarters, whilst second seed, Guo Yan, defeated Spain’s Shen Yanfei and Japan’s Hiroko Fujii to book her place in the penultimate round.

However, the player to catch the eye was sixteen year old Liu Shiwen; she beat number four seed, Hong Kong’s Tie Yana in the third round before ending the hopes of her doubles partner, Ding Ning in the quarters. For Liu Shiwen, like Saki Kanazawa, it is the first time either has reached an ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles semi-final.

Liu Shiwen in partnership with Ding Ning is also through to the final of the Women’s Doubles; the pair beat Tatyana Kostromina and Viktoria Pavlovich of Belarus in the semis, the latter duo having ousted top seeds, Hong Kong’s Tie Yana and Zhang Rui in the quarters.

In the final Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen face Guo Yue and Li Xiaoxia; the latter pair beating Gao Jun of the United States and Shen Yanfei of Spain in the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, in the Men’s Singles event, Chinese domination is total. They provided six of the eight quarter-finalists. In the two matches where they faced foreign adversaries Hao Shuai beat Japan’s Kan Yo and Ma Lin defeated Korea’s Ryu Seung Min.

In the remaining quarter-final contests top seed, Wang Hao overcame Chen Qi whilst third seed Wang Hao ended the hopes of Ma Long.

It is the same scenario in the Men’s Doubles with the host nation providing both pairings.

At the semi-final stage top seeds Ma Lin and Wang Liqin defeated Chinese Taipei’s Chang Yen-Shu and Chiang Peng-Lung, whilst Chen Qi and Wang Hao overcame Korea’s Oh Sang Eun and Ryu Seung Min.

Dominance in the senior events by China but in the Under 21 events, which were decided on Saturday 30th June 2007, there was hope for the rest of mankind.

Chinese Taipei’s Chiang Hung-Chieh won the Under 21 Men’s Singles title beating Japan’s Michikazu Tsuboguchi in the final, whilst in an all-Singapore final Yu Meng Yu overcame Feng Tianwei.

It was Chiang Hung-Chieh’s first ITTF Pro Tour Under 21 Men’s Singles crown of the year whilst for Yu Meng Yu it was her fourth; she had won previously in Qatar, Chile and Korea.