Mixed Doubles to be an Enthralling Spectacle
May 24, 2007

Joo Se Hyuk and Park Mi Young incredible defensive artists Photo By: Rémy Gros

Courtesy of ITTF The comment was made to me two days ago that we should do away with Mixed Doubles; I’m not sure whether the speaker in question was referring just to the World Championships or to the event in general. He was wrong. Take a bow Joo Se Hyuk and Park Mi Yong of Korea. On Thursday May 24, 2007, they won one of the most exciting matches played in the Liebherr World Championships in Zagreb. Most certainly, they performed the greatest recovery. It was absolutely enthralling.

In the seventh game against the Chinese pairing of Lei Zhenhua and Ding Ning they were down and out; in the seventh game they trailed 6-10; from that point onwards they never made a mistake. They won six points in row to secure victory.

Disbelief
The coach on duty for the Koreans was Yoo Nam Kyu, the man who the first ever Men’s Singles gold medalist at an Olympic Games; he won in Seoul in 1988; he sat bemused, smiling in disbelief.

The Korean coach has seen a lot of table tennis in his life but even he was perplexed at what was unfolding before his eyes.

Defenders
Joo Se Hyuk and Park Mi Yong won 8-11, 10-12, 11-4, 11-5, 7-11, 11-6, 12-10. Both defenders, the returned ball after ball against the attacking skills of the right handed Lei Zhenhua and the left-handed Ding Ning.

Gradually, they came back and reduced the arrears to 10-8; then came the point of the match; maybe the point of the tournament. Phenomenal backspin play, fast attack after fast attack was returned, the Koreans strained every sinew. It was as though they had telescopic handles to their rackets.

Service
Eventually an error accrued from the Chinese duo, the score was 10-9 with Lei Zhenhua to serve; trying to keep the ball short, he served into the net. It was 10-all.

The Chinese duo was now lost at sea, the Koreans were more and more confident; the next two points went to Joo Se Hyuk and Park Mi Young in the blink of an eyelid.

An incredible recovery.

Power
“The Chinese kept playing strongly in the seventh game, they tried win the points using power”, said Yoo Nam Kyu. “Joo Se Hyuk and Park Mi Young just kept defending, just returning with backspin.”

Their backspin skills were quite incredible. “Park Mi Young was very safe”, continued Yoo Nam Kyu. “I think the Chinese became nervous.”

Perhaps the Chinese did become tentative but the Koreans were superb; they endorsed the fact that Mixed Doubles can be a tremendous spectacle, most certainly the way they play that fact is beyond doubt.