Ma Lin Retains Crown, Consecutive Wins for Zhang Yining
China’s Ma Lin and Zhang Yining emerged as the most
successful players at the Erke Qatar Open Championships in
Doha on Saturday 22nd March 2008.
In the third ITTF Pro Tour tournament of the year, Ma Lin
retained his Men’s Singles title and won the Men’s
Doubles crown with compatriot Chen Qi; whilst Zhang Yining
repeated the success gained one week earlier at the Salwa
Cup Kuwait Open. She clinched the Women’s Singles crown
and partnered Guo Yue to the Women’s Doubles title.
Seeded two, Ma Lin overcame number three seed and national
team colleague, Wang Liqin in the semi-finals before beating
top seed, Wang Hao, also from China in the final. At the penultimate
stage Wang Hao had ended the progress of twenty year old rising
Chinese star, Zhang Jike; un-seeded, Zhang Jike was playing
in his first ever ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles semi-final.
Gold in the Men’s Singles for the number two seed whilst
in the Women’s Singles event it was the top seed who
showed why she occupies the number one spot in the world rankings.
At the semi-final stage Zhang Yining overcame colleague Wang
Nan before accounting for her Beijing Capital club team mate
Guo Yan in the final.
Seeded five, Guo Yan had defeated eighth seed, Hong Kong’s
Jiang Huajun in the semis.
Meanwhile, in the Men’s Doubles event Ma Lin partnered
Chen Qi to victory over Ma Long and Zhang Jike in an all-China
final; whilst Guo Yue and Zhang Yining overcame the Koreans,
Kim Kyung Ah and Park Mi Young in the Women’s Doubles
final.
Men’s Singles:
Semi-Finals
Wang Hao (CHN) bt Zhang Jike (CHN) 11-7, 5-11, 11-6, 11-9,
12-10
Ma Lin (CHN) bt Wang Liqin (CHN) 11-9, 11-5, 11-5, 11-9
Final
Ma Lin (CHN) bt Wang Hao (CHN) 11-9, 11-4, 11-9, 4-11, 8-11,
15-13
Women’s Singles
Semi-Finals
Zhang Yining (CHN) bt Wang Nan (CHN) 11-7, 9-11, 7-11, 11-7,
11-3, 6-11, 11-9
Guo Yan (CHN) bt Jiang Huajun (HKG) 11-6, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11,
8-11, 11-2, 11-3
Final
Zhang Yining (CHN) bt Guo Yan (CHN) 11-5, 11-8, 11-5, 11-9
Men’s Doubles
Final
Chen Qi/Ma Lin (CHN) bt Ma Long Zhang Jike (CHN) 11-9, 11-9,
12-14, 11-5, 11-4
Women’s Doubles
Final
Guo Yue/Zhang Yining (CHN) bt Kim Kyung Ah/Park Mi Young
(CHN) 11-3, 11-6, 11-5,
9-11, 11-4
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"Source:
ITTF Press Release