Hong Kong Pair Prevents Chinese Clean Sweep
Hong Kong’s Ko Lai Chak and Li Ching won the Men’s
Doubles title at the Eurosib Russian Open on Sunday 21st October
2007 and in so doing prevented a clean sweep of titles by
China on the final day’s play in St Petersburg.
Seeded one, they beat the second seeds, China’s Chen
Qi and Qiu Yike in a closely fought seven games final. It
was the eleventh Men’s Doubles title of their careers;
the victory puts them in equal second place on the all time
ITTF Pro list with China’s Kong Linghui and Liu Guoliang
and two behind the leaders Wang Liqin and Yan Sen, also from
China.
Kong Linghu, Liu Guoliang and Yan Sen have all retired from
international play and thus the top spot is well within the
reach of the duo from Hong Kong.
The Men’s Doubles final was the only gold medal contest
on the concluding day’s play that was not an all-Chinese
affair.
In the Men’s Singles third seed Chen Qi beat top seed,
Germany’s Timo Boll in the semis and Li Ping in the
final, the latter having ousted Li Ching in the semis to reach
his first ever ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles final.
It was a second career ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles
crown for Chen Qi, whilst for Chang Chenchen in the Women’s
Singles event it was her first. She beat Rao Jingwen, the
winner of four titles at the Universiade in 2007, in the final
with Hong Kong’s Lin Ling and China’s Peng Luyang
being the respective runners up.
Disappointment for Peng Luyang in the Women’s Singles
but success in the Women’s Doubles; partnering Li Nan
the duo clinched the title, overcoming Chen Qing and Rao Jingwen
in the final.
Men’s Singles
Semi-Finals
Chen Qi (CHN) bt Timo Boll (GER) 11-8, 11-7, 7-11, 6-11,
11-7, 8-11, 11-6
Li Ping (CHN) bt Li Ching (HKG) 11-7, 11-5, 11-3, 11-3
Final
Chen Qi (CHN) bt Li Ping (CHN) 11-3, 7-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-
Women’s Singles
Semi-Finals
Chang Chenchen (CHN) bt Lin Ling (HKG) 12-10, 11-9, 11-8,
11-13, 11-7
Rao Jingwen (CHN) bt Peng Luyang (CHN) 11-6, 11-6, 9-11,
15-13, 13-11
Final
Chang Chenchen (CHN) bt Rao Jingwen (CHN) 11-6, 11-9, 11-4,
5-11, 11-9
Men’s Doubles Final
Ko Lai Chak/Li Ching (HKG) bt Chen Qi/Qiu Yike (CHN) 11-6,
11-8, 10-12, 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-5
Women’s Doubles Final
Li Nan/Peng Luyang (CHN) bt Chen Qing/Rao Jingwen (CHN) 11-6,
11-5, 11-8, 11-8
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"Source:
ITTF Press Release