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China's Ma Long reacts during the awarding ceremony for the final of men's singles at the 22nd Asian Cup table tennis tournament in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, May 21, 2009. Ma Long won the title after beating his compatriot Wang Hao 4-3. [Xinhua/Xu Yu]
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Chinese sensation Ma Long nailed down newly crowned world champion Wang Hao to lift the trophy of the men's singles here Thursday as China pocketed all the medals on offer at the Asian Cup table tennis tournament.
The 20-year-old Ma, whose world ranking raised to the second after losing only to Wang Hao and leaving Yokohama with a bronze medal, pulled himself together after losing the opening set in the world championship semifinal rematch and managed a further comeback from 2-3 down to win the final in full sets.
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China's Wang Hao reacts during the awarding ceremony for the final of men's singles at the 22nd Asian Cup table tennis tournament in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, May 21, 2009. [Xinhua/Xu Yu]
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It took Ma Long a few more than an hour to beat the 25-year-old Wang Hao, who had won for nine times out of fourteen meetings against Ma before Thursday night's Asian Cup final, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7.
Ma's title is the 37th won by a Chinese as the continental event, initiated by the Asian Table Tennis Union in 1983, have produced all together 44 gold medals of both men's and women's singles in 22 editions.
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China's Wang Hao acts against his compatriot Ma Long during the final of men's singles at the 22nd Asian Cup table tennis tournament in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, May 21, 2009.[Xinhua/Xu Yu]
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On the women's part, the Yokohama worlds' runner-up Guo Yue defended her Asian Cup title after wrapping up a straight-set victory over compatriot Liu Shiwen, born in 1990s, winning 11-4, 11-9, 11-4, 11-4.
Earlier on Thursday, another Chinese teenager Ding Ning, who won a silver of the women's doubles at the Yokohama worlds, beat Hong Kong veteran Tie Yana 11-6, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 for a bronze, while China's national title holder Zhang Jike eased past Japan's doubles specialist Seiya Kishikawa 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 16-14 to finish on the men's podium.
The 60,000 U.S. dollars Asian Cup attracted 16 men's and as many women's players from nine Asian teams, namingly China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong of China, Chinese Taipei, Singapore, India, Thailand and Iran.
