Challenge Match: Tribute to Csilla Batorfi
October 12, 2007

Still in love with the table tennis ball: Csilla Batorfi. Photo Courtesy of Hungarian Table Tennis Association

Courtesy of ITTF The Chinese World Champion Women’s Team beat European champions Hungary three-nil in a challenge match played at the farewell gala as tribute to Csilla Batorfi, who recently retired as a player. The event attracted a full house in the Round Hall in Budapest. Meeting of the Most Successful Ever The main program of the evening was a challenge match between the two most successful nations in history. It was a great promotion for table tennis in Hungary.

In the first match, Georgina Pota faced Li Xiaoxia, the runner up at this year's Liebherr World Championships. The Hungarian won the first game and that set the tone for the evening. However, there was not to be a memorable victory.

Li Xiaoxia showed no mercy, she took control of the match and won the next three games.

Guo Yue (left) and Zhang Yining resisting
Hungarian attacks Photo Courtesy of Hungarian
Table Tennis Association

World Champion Entertains
The second match was between Petra Lovas, number seventy-three on the current ITTF World Rankings and Guo Yue; the heroine at the Liebherr World Championships in May, where she won the Women's Singles and Mixed Doubles titles.

She delighted the crowd with a series unique strokes that left everyone in no doubt about her playing strength.

A Slight Chance in the Doubles
The closest and most spectacular contest was the third duel, where the finalists in the European championships, Krisztina Toth and Georgina Pota made a brave challenge against their Chinese rivals, Zhang Yining and Guo Yue.

The match was played on very high level, with China winning in four games and securing the team victory by the three matches to nil margin.

Nevertheless, the fans enjoyed the rare opportunity to see live the world's best female players in action. They also used the evening to celebrate Hungarian success at the same time.

Hungary 0-3 China
Georgina Póta – Li Xiaoxia 11-9, 7-11, 6-11, 5-11
Petra Lovas – Guo Yue 11-13, 5-11, 7-11
Krisztina Tóth/Georgina Póta – Zhang Yining/Guo Yue 7-11, 11-8, 6-11, 7-11