The Chinese table tennis team made a clean sweep of the titles in the 2008 ITTF China Open by taking the men's and women's single champions?in Changchun on Sunday afternoon.
The finals of both men's and women's single are all between Chinese players. World's No.1 Zhang Yining, still beset with wrist injuries, defeated her teammate Guo Yue by the very narrowest margin 12-10, 14-12, 15-13, 10-12, 9-11 and 11-2.
Wang Hao, also the world's No.1 in the men paddlers, dumped Wang Liqin 4-2 in the men's final afterwards.
Guo Yue, who eliminated her teammate Li Xiaoxiao in the semifinals, took an early lead but failed to keep the advantage, losing the first three games. She rallied at the following two games, but Zhang Yining wrapped up her victory with a comfortable 11-2.
"I was too anxious for victory at the first three games, which is the main cause of my unsteady performance. There's still a huge gap between Zhang and me: experiences, mental state, and responses. I've got a lot to learn from her," said Guo Yue after the match.
Wang Hao and Wang Liqin, who respectively ranked first and third in the world, both struggled hard to defeat their teammates Ma Long and Ma Lin 4-3 in the morning.
They have been double partners for years and knew each other well. Wang Hao, born in Changchun, seemed more confident before his hometown folks and ended the match with a 11-4, 7-11, 11-9, 11-13, 11-8, 11-9 victory.
China men's and women's teams both won the team titles of the tournament on the previous day.
The Chinese team will participate in three more ITTF tournaments in Japan, South Korea and Singapore before the Beijing Olympics in August.
(Xinhua News Agency May 18, 2008)