Liebherr German Open
Full House for China
Chinese players won all four titles to be decided on Sunday
11th November 2007 at the Liebherr German Open in Bremen.
Nineteen year old Ma Long, the number six seed, won the Men’s
Singles event. The Women’s Singles crown went the way
of Li Xiaoxia, the number two seed. She also added the Women’s
Doubles title to her collection by partnering Guo Yue to success.
Meanwhile, the Men’s Doubles gold medals were secured
by Wang Hao and Wang Liqin.
At the semi-final stage Ma Long ended German hopes by beating
fourth seed, the host country’s Timo Boll to repeat
the success of one week earlier. In Toulouse at the Liebherr
French Open he had won in straight games, in Bremen he did
the same.
In the final Ma Long faced second seed and colleague Ma Lin,
who had ousted Wang Liqin, the reigning World champion in
the semis; the Ma Long forehand was in full flow in the final
and success in five games was secured.
It was Ma Long’s second Men’s Singles title of
his career on the ITTF Pro Tour. The previous win had been
in February this year in Kuwait when, as in Germany, he beat
Ma Lin in the final. Meanwhile, for Wang Liqin, the most successful
male player in the history of the ITTF Pro Tour, a Men’s
Singles title in 2007 at an open international tournament
still proves elusive; in nine appearances he has failed to
win gold.
A second ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles title for Ma Long,
whilst for Li Xiaoxia it was a third Women’s Singles
crown. She won at the Volkswagen Open China in 2005 and earlier
this year in Qatar. At the Liebherr German Open 2007 she beat
compatriot Cao Zhen in the final with Guo Yan, also of China,
and Jiang Huajun of Hong Kong, the respective beaten semi-finalists.
Earlier in the proceedings, Li Xiaoxia had won the Women’s
Doubles crown overcoming the Koreans Kim Kyung Ah and Park
Mi Young in the final.
Meanwhile, in the Men’s Doubles there was consolation
for both Wang Hao and Wang Liqin.
They overcame Singapore’s Gao Ning and Yang Zi to capture
gold; it was for Wang Hao and Wang Liqin only their second
ever Men’s Doubles title as a pair on the ITTF Pro Tour
whilst for Gao Ning and Yang Zi it was their ninth final in
a period of just over twelve months, sadly for them it was
their seventh runners up spot.
Men’s Singles:
SF Ma Long (CHN) bt Timo Boll (GER) 11-9, 11-7, 12-10, 15-13
SF Ma Lin (CHN) bt Wang Liqin (CHN) 11-7, 7-11, 19-17, 11-5,
12-10
F Ma Long (CHN) bt Ma Lin (CHN) 11-8, 11-7, 12-14, 11-5,
11-8
Women’s Singles
SF Cao Zhen (CHN) bt Jiang Huajun (HKG) 8-11, 6-11, 11-6,
11-4, 11-9, 11-6
SF Li Xiaoxia (CHN) bt Guo Yan (CHN) 11-6, 14-12, 11-7, 6-11,
7-11, 13-11
F Li Xiaoxia (ICHN) bt Cao Zhen (CHN) 11-13, 6-11, 11-7,
11-7, 12-10, 11-3
Men’s Doubles
F Wang Hao/Wang Liqin (CHN) bt Gao Ning/Yang Zi (SIN) 8-11,11-6,
11-9, 8-11, 12-10, 11-7
Women’s Doubles
F Guo Yue/Li Xiaoxia (CHN) bt Kim Kyung Ah/Park Mi Young
(KOR) 11-9, 11-3, 11-5, 11-7
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"Source:
ITTF Press Release