|
Home>News Center>Sports | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Ma Lin retains World Cup title; Zhang Yining crowned again
Defending champion Ma Lin of China claimed the men's singles title of ITTF World Cup for the second year in a row and lifted his third trophy after his hard-fought six game win over Kalinikos Kreanga of Greece in Xiaoshan of Zhejiang Province on Sunday. Ma is the first man in history to collect three titles since the first World Cup was held in Hong Kong in 1980.
Despite a slow start in the first game, Ma gradually found his rhythm, and changed the leads with Kreanga since then. In the sixth game, Ma was 7-10 behind but overcame Kreanga by forcing him into more mistakes. Ma admitted that he had a slow start and lower expectation from the in-form Kreanga, the losing finalist of 2003 World Cup. "I was stunned by Kreanga's performance at first. Fortunately I found myself later and switched my strategy," Ma said. The world number two Ma had an unexpected early upset by Swede Jan-Ove Waldner at the Athens Olympic Games. He said: "I told myself on the court that never forget and the shameful loss I had in Athens and never repeat it. The victory is a booster for me." "I have no big event title so far. I hope this World Cup can bring me to a better performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games," Ma said. Kreanga was disappointed with his unforced errors in the end. "I had a high-flying start but made mistakes later, especially on Ma's serve. I missed so many chances." "But I played better than I expected, usually I lost to Ma 1-4," Kreanga said. In the third-place match, China's Wang Hao beat Joo Se Hyuk of South Korea 4-1. Women's Singles In a showdown between the current world number one and former top player, newly-crowned Olympic champion Zhang Yining proved she is the new generation on the top of the world. Zhang thrashed Wang Nan 4-2 in the women's singles final and lifted the trophy at the Bosideng Multiglory ITTF World Cup in Xiaoshan of East China's Zhejiang Province on Sunday. It was the first time that Zhang beat Wang head to head in a big event, winning 15-13, 7-11, 11-5, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8.
Zhang, 23, said: "I was a little bit nervous against Wang at first, but later I focused more on my game, not her. It is the best match I've played since the Athens Olympics as we all lack of practice since then." Zhang said she never have the thought as the figure to spearhead Chinese women players instead of the defending champion Wang. "Wang is still an excellent player. She is my gold-medal partner in Athens. I hope I can keep my winning streak," Zhang said. The 26-year-old Wang admitted that she wasted some chances and did her best. "I performed my best. What I felt disappointed is that I should take the first game and be more determined on serves and receives," Wang said. Though she was replaced by Zhang from the world number one spot, Wang said it was an important match for both of them. "It's important for us. For Zhang, she needs to prove herself after her Athens' glory. For me, it's a confidence booster which can help me better in the other big events." In the third-place match, Tie Yana of Hong Kong, China, beat Li Jiawei of Singapore 4-1 (11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10). In the past seventh edition of the World Cup, Wang had collected three titles while Zhang now has as many. The other two went to all-time great Deng Yaping and Li Ju. |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![Zhang Yining of China holds the trophy and a bouquet of flowers after beating compatriot Wang Nan in the Women's Singles at the Bosideng Multiglory ITTF World Cup in Xiaoshan of East China's Zhejiang Province on Sunday. [Xinhua]](xin_4511010110025852615515.jpg)
