Title Retained by China as Brave Japanese Run Ends with Creditable Silver
September 20, 2007

Wang Hao

Courtesy of ITTF China represented by Wang Hao, Ma Long and Chen Qi won the Men’s Team title at the China Mobile Asian Championships in Yangzhou on Wednesday September 19, 2007. They beat Japan in the final. Ma Lin, the player currently ranked number one on the ITTF Men’s World Ranking list was rested for the final, while Wang Liqin, the reigning World Champion, was not included in the squad to travel to the developing Chinese city of four and a half million people.

The selection was no doubt to assess the performances of Chen Qi and Ma Long when faced with a major final on home soil.

Positive Answer
No doubt Liu Guoliang, the Head Coach of the Chinese Men’s Team received the answer he wanted; they both came through with flying colors.

The player to experience the most problems was Wang Hao, the man currently ranked number two on the ITTF Men’s World Rankings and surely certain of his place in the Chinese Men’s Team when selections for major tournaments are held.

Underestimated
Wang Hao was the first in duty and he was tested to the full by the effervescent Kaii Yoshida, the Japanese player is all action, he takes no prisoners and his positive attitude furrowed the brow of Wang Hao. The latter won but it was tough, the match went the full five games distance.

“Kaii Yoshida was a very tough opponent for Wang Hao”, said Liu Guoliang. “I don’t think Wang Hao was fully prepared for the match, I think he underestimated his opponent.”

Conditions
Forceful comments from the Head Coach and underestimating your opponent can end in disaster.

“Wang Hao had to adjust to the conditions, in the hall, it is a little humid but it’s the same for both players”, said Liu Guoliang. “You can’t use the conditions as an excuse; also we played very late but Wang Hao adapted, he overcame his problems.”

Technical Skills
Undoubtedly Wang Hao is a fine player, his style at the top level is somewhat unique but his technical skills are high.

“I had confidence in my technical ability in the last game against Kaii Yoshida”, he said. “However, the fact that it was so close has sounded alarm bells; that could be a good thing, I’ve learnt a lesson which will help when the singles events start.”

Typhoon
The match was played at a very late hour in order to accommodate national television. At the moment pride of place in China is going to the Women’s Football World Cup, hence the late hour of the Men’s Team final which final at 1.00am the following morning.

However, the late hour would not have been necessary had a fortune teller been employed. The whole area was hit by a typhoon which forced the postponement of the football matches; quite simply it was dangerous to leave the building at certain times during the day.

Standing up was a problem, the reason being the force of the wind not excessive Chinese alcohol!

Tired
Repeating the words of Liu Guoliang it was the same for all concerned but Jun Mizutani did look a little tired in his contest against Ma Long.

He was not as sharp as he had been the previous day, when beating Oh Sang Eun in the match against Korea, nor as he had been earlier in the day when overcoming both Chiang Peng-Lung and Chuan Chih-Yuan in the fixture against Chinese Taipei.

Forehand
Nevertheless taking nothing away from Ma Long who had not been involved in as many testing matches as had Jun Mizutani. Ma Long was superb, he dominated the contest, his backhand was safe his forehand devastating. Surely he can be considered to have the most powerful forehand topspin in the world?

Enthralled
Ma Long had put China on the brink of victory and Chen Qi brought matters to an end by beating Kenta Matsudaira, the reigning World Junior Champion. However, when the World Junior champion met a player of World senior class there was a gap in the playing standard, a gap that is only to be expected.

Kenta Matsudaira, as always, gave his best and the crowd loved him. The unique serving action was the fact that brought gasps from the spectators; it was something they’d never seen before. In fact it brought gasps from the umpire.

Let
He was the first to serve, the umpire called let, not prepared for the Japanese teenager who was eager to start proceedings. Furthermore, the assembled photographers were in awe.

In the second game all the cameras were focused on Kenta Matsudaira, not Chen Qi!

Defeat for Kenta Matsudaira but for Japan great hope with Jun Mizutani, Seiya Kishikawa, Taku Takakiwa and Kenta Matsudaira they have a fine Team for the future.

Result
Wang Hao beat Kaii Yoshida 11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-6, Ma Long defeated Jun Mizutani 11-9, 14-12, 11-6 and Chen Qi overcame Kenta Matsudaira 11-7, 11-3, 11-9.

The Chinese Men’s Team
Photo by ITTF Asia Office