China

Ding Ning grabs table tennis worlds' title

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-15 15:00

Ding Ning of China holds up the trophy during the award ceremony after her women's singles final against compatriot Li Xiaoxia at the World Table Tennis Championships in Rotterdam May 14, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

ROTTERDAM - China's Ding Ning captured her first women's singles title by beating compatriot Li Xiaoxia in a spectacular final of the World Table Tennis Championships on Saturday in Rotterdam.

Ding beat her top seeded Li in six games: 12-10, 13-11, 11-9, 8-11, 8-11, 11-7. Li Xiaoxia came back strongly from a 3-0 deficit, but it was not enough.

"I have been waiting for this for a very long time," Ding said afterwards. "Ever since I was a child I was dreaming about a world title and an Olympic title. This is my lifetime dream."

In the second game, Li led 10-6, but could not make it. Ding saved four game points and went on to win the game 13-11. In the third game Li saved four game points, but fell in the fifth one, losing 11-9.

In the fifth game, 20-year-old Ding went 4-0 ahead, but Li came back with seven points in a row and won the game 11-8.

"Basically in the fifth game when I was leading 5-3 suddenly I felt my opponent made a lot of changes adjustment wise. That's why I lost that game. But I learned a good lesson from the previous game and kept hoping."

In the final game Li led 5-0, but this time Ding bounced back to win 11-7.

On Sunday, Ding will play the women's doubles final. "I will not party, but concentrate on that final first," she noted.