China sweeps table tennis Tournament of Champions

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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-12 10:25

CHANGSHA, Hunan Province - Tournament of Champions lived to its billing as world No. 1s Wang Hao and Zhang Yining won the men's and women's singles events respectively at the 250,000 U.S. dollars table tennis season-ending event here on Sunday.

Zhang Yining (C), Li Xiaoxia (L) and Guo Yue pose on the podium at the table tennis Tournament of Champions in Changsha of Hunan Province January 11, 2008. [Xinhua]

Wang Hao defeated former world No. 1 and three-time world champion Wang Liqin 11-5, 8-11, 11-2, 11-6, 11-7 late in the evening, while Zhang outclassed teammate Li Xiaoxia 12-10, 11-5, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4 earlier in the afternoon.

"I've played against Wang Liqin for too many times," said Wang Hao after the final. "I just know him well as well as the way to beat him. Also, the luck is on my side."

Wang Hao, 25, has kept a good form recently, reaching the final of every event he entered, while Wang Liqin was at a low ebb after losing to eventual winner Ma Lin in the semifinals at last August's Olympic Games.

Wamg Hao (R) and Wang Liqin pose on the podium at the table tennis Tournament of Champions in Changsha of Hunan Province January 11, 2008. [Xinhua]

"My problem is about mentality rather than technique or tactics," said Wang Liqin, a 31-year-old veteran.

Zhang Yining, who strained her leg in Saturday's match against Singapore's Wang Yue Gu, thanked her teammate Li Xiaoxia for "showing mercy" in the women's singles final.

"I must say sorry for that," joked Zhang. "Before the match, I begged to her 'Please be kind for the sake of my strained leg', and Li just took it very seriously."

"She could have been more aggressive and had less unforced errors," she added.

Li, however, blamed herself for losing the final.

"I failed to play as well as Zhang did. That's why she won the title and I'm the loser," said the 20-year-old. "You might have thought yourself good enough, but you know it's not that case when you face someone like Zhang Yining."

Ma Lin and Germany's Timo Boll finished joint third place in the men's singles, while Guo Yue and Singapore's Li Jia Wei shared bronze in the women's singles.