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China won both the men’s and women’s titles at the World Team Cup in
Magdeburg on Sunday 7th October 2007; in the men’s team event they beat Hong
Kong in the final whilst in the counterpart female competition it was Korea
who had to settle for the silver medal.
In both finals they succeed by three matches to nil but the contests were
closer that the score lines may suggest.
Zhang Yining, the reigning Olympic champion and the
player ranked number one on the ITTF Women’s World Ranking list since January
2003, was on the brink of defeat against Park Mi Young. In the opening match
of the Women’s Team final she saved one match point against the Korean defender
before securing victory.
Tense moments for China
in the first duel but there were no more in the female final. Guo Yue overcame Lee Eun Hee and the fixture came to
an end with doubles success. Guo Yue and Li Xiaoxia defeated Kim
Kyung Ah and Park Mi Young.
Meanwhile, in the Men’s Team final it was the doubles that caused heart
stopping moments for China.
The Hong Kong pair of Ko
Lai Chak and Leung Chu Yan
led Ma Lin and Wang Hao 7-1 in the fifth game of
their duel before the latter duo won ten of the next twelve points to clinch
victory.
The doubles success secured the title for China. Earlier in the contest
Wang Liqin and Wang Hao
had recorded wins over Li Ching and Leung Chu Yan in their respective singles duels.
Men’s Final
CHINA 3-0 HONG KONG
Wang Liqin v Li Ching
11-8, 11-5, 11-7
Wang Hao v Leung Chu Yan
12-14, 11-3, 11-8, 11-7
Ma Lin/Wang Hao v Ko Lai Chak/Leung Chu Yan
Women’s Final
CHINA 3-0 KOREA
Zhang Yining v Park Mi Young 11-5, 8-11, 8-11,
12-10, 11-2
Guo Yue v Lee Eun Hee 11-5, 11-7, 11-9
Guo Yue/Li Xiaoxia v Kim Kyung Ah/Park Mi Young 11-3, 13-11, 11-7
Ian Marshall
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