China stamped their authority on the world table tennis
championship in Zagreb on Thursday as the top seeds in the men's
and women's singles eased through to the last 16.
In the men's round of 32, defending world champion and top seed
Ma Lin brushed aside He Zhi Wen of Spain 11-8 15-13 11-9 11-8 while
in the women's competition world number one Zhang Yining got a
bye.
There was also double success for Romania over Japan in the
women's tournament after Daniela Dodean beat Ai Fukuhara 12-10 11-9
11-8 11-9 and Elizabeta Samara overcame Sayaka Hirano by four sets
to two.
China's Yao Yan set up a clash with her compatriot Guo Yue after
coming from behind to beat Lin Ling of Hong Kong 16-14 in a
dramatic tie-breaker.
But the day's hero was Singapore's Gao Ning who produced a
stunning comeback against Jun Mizutani of Japan in the men's
competition after overturning a three-set deficit to win 11-13 5-11
12-14 11-7 11-7 11-8 11-4.
"After the end of the third set I tried to attack faster to his
backhand, I just kept fighting because I was never going to give
up," said a delighted Gao, who will meet Vladimir Samsonov of
Belarus in the last 16.
Samsonov was rarely tested in an 11-2 10-12 11-8 11-5 11-8 win
over Austria's Weixing Chen and world number three Timo Boll of
Germany, Europe's top-ranked player, also made easy work of his
victory against Ju Lin by four sets to one.
Greek Kalinikos Kreanga fought back from two sets down to beat
Japan's Yo Kan while world number two Wang Liqin of China dismissed
Argentina's Song Liu 11-7 11-5 11-3 11-9.
(China Daily via Reuters May 25, 2007)
