SPORTS NEWS UK WITH TRY MY SPORT

Chinese Stars Offer No Charity

China reached the final of the both the men’s and women’s events at the World Team Cup in Magdeburg, Germany by recording impressive victories in their semi-final matches on Saturday 6th October 2007.

In the Men’s Team event they took no chances. They fielded the trio of Wang Hao, Ma Lin and Wang Liqin, currently the top three ranked players in the world, whilst Austria left out Werner Schlager, the 2003 World champion. They included Bernard Presslmayer in the line up alongside Chen Weixing and Robert Gardos.

The clear favourites, China secured victory by the margin of three matches to nil. Wang Liqin beat Robert Gardos, Ma Lin accounted for a spirited Bernard Presslmayer and the duo of Wang Hao and Wang Liqin recovered from an opening game deficit to defeat Chen Weixing and Robert Gardos.

In the final they will meet Hong Kong who overcame Korea at the penultimate stage. Korea left their highest World ranked player, Oh Sang Eun, out of the team, replacing him with Lee Jung Sam. Oh Sang Eun had been below his best in the group stage recording only one singles victory, that being against Werner Schlager.

A hard fought duel was the order of the day with the first four matches going the full five games distance. Li Ching gave Hong Kong the perfect start beating Ryu Seung Min. Korea levelled with Joo Se Hyuk overcoming Leung Chu Yan before Hong Kong restored their lead as Cheung Yuk and Li Ching defeated Lee Jung Sam and Ryu Seung Min. The crowd captivated, Joo Se Hyuk combined outstanding defence with lightning forehands and split second reactions to beat Cheung Yuk to give Korea hope.

It was not to be, the extra international experience of Leung Chu Yan told; earlier in the tournament he had beaten Wang Liqin, the reigning World champion, and duly he brought matters to a close. He overcame Lee Jung Sam to secure a place in the final for Hong Kong.

Meanwhile in the women’s event, China defeated Hong Kong at the semi-final stage, a contest in which Zhang Yining overcame Lin Ling, Guo Yue accounted for Zhang Rui and in the ensuing doubles contest Guo Yue and Li Xiaoxia beat Tie Yana and Zhang Rui.

An impressive performance by China and it was an equally impressive performance by Korea against Hungary in their semi-final duel; Park Mi Young and Lee Eun Hee both being outstanding.

Park Mi Young beat Georgina Pota in the opening match, a win that was a major boost for the Koreans; at the ITTF Pro Tour tournament in Chinese Taipei earlier in the year, Park Mi Young had lost to the Hungarian. She had clearly learnt from the experience. In Magdeburg she won in straight games.

A good start for Korea, Lee Eun Hee followed suit to beat Krisztina Toth with matters coming to an end as the Park Mi Young partnered her fellow defender, Kim Kyung Ah to victory over Petra Lovas and Krisztina Toth.