Asian Championships: Full House for Ma Long and China
November 23, 2009

Ma Long, a full house of titles in Lucknow Photo By: Georg Diener

Courtesy of ITTF Lucknow, November 22, 2009 - Ma Long and China completed a full house of titles at the Asian Championships in the Indian city of Lucknow on Sunday November 22, 2009. China secured gold in every event; earlier in the week they had won the Men’s and Women’s Team titles plus the Mixed Doubles crown; on the concluding day of play they clinched the top prize in the Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles events.

Furthermore, Ma Long left with gold in every event for which he was eligible.

A member of the successful outfit that won the Men’s Team title, he secured Mixed Doubles gold with Li Xiaoxia before on the final day securing Men’s Doubles gold with Xu Xin and the Men’s Singles title to draw down the curtain on the Championships.

At the final hurdle Ma Long defeated Zhang Jike to clinch the Men’s Singles and partnered Xu Xin to arrest the Men’s Doubles title with Xu Xin; the pair beat colleague Wang Liqin and Zhang Jike in the final.

Meanwhile, in the female events, Ding Ning claimed a brace of titles on the final day.

She partnered Li Xiaoxia to Women’s Doubles success defeating Korea’s Kim Kyung Ah and Park Mi Young in the final before overcoming her doubles partner and top seed in the Women’s Singles final.

It was a notable achievement for 19-year-old Ding Ning; at the semi-final stage she beat Liu Shiwen, the no.2 seed and winner of the recent women’s world Cup.

Men’s Singles
Semi-Finals
Ma Long (CHN) bt Xu Xin (CHN)
9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 12-10, 14-12, 11-6
Zhang Jike (CHN) bt Wang Liqin (CHN)
11-7, 10-12, 11-5, 11-13, 11-8, 6-11, 12-10
Final
Ma Long (CHN) bt Zhang Jike (CHN)
11-8, 11-2, 11-5, 12-14, 3-11, 11-5

Women’s Singles
Semi-Finals
Li Xiaoxia (CHN) bt Fan Ying (CHN)
14-12, 11-9, 12-10, 11-3
Ding Ning (CHN) bt Liu Shiwen (CHN)
9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7
Final
Ding Ning (CHN) bt Li Xiaoxia (CHN)
5-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-7, 11-7

Men’s Doubles
Final
Ma Long/Xu Xin (CHN) bt Wang Liqin/Zhang Jike (CHN)
11-9, 11-6, 11-5, 11-8

Women’s Doubles
Final
Ding Ning/Li Xiaoxia (CHN) bt Kim Kyung Ah/Park Mi Young (KOR)
11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 11-13, 11-9, 12-10

Men’s Doubles
Final
Ma Long/Xu Xin (CHN) bt Wang Liqin/Zhang Jike (CHN)
11-9, 11-6, 11-5, 11-8

Click here to view more results and information from ITTF on the 2009 Asian Championships.