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Zhang remains on course for world title
Source: AFP |
May 20, 2013, Monday
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REIGNING champion Zhang Jike remained on course to defend his title at the World Table Tennis Championships in Paris yesterday after shrugging off Germany's Patrick Baum to reach the semifinals.
Fourth seed Zhang recovered from a sluggish start to down Baum 9-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-2, 11-3 and ensure, just like in the women's draw, a Chinese sweep of all four singles medals.
On Saturday, Olympic champion Li Xiaoxia knocked off top seed and title-holder Ding Ning to reach the women's final. Third seed Li had reduced Ding to tears after pipping her to the Olympic crown in London last August, and there was more heartbreak for the world No. 1 as Li triumphed in the French capital with an exhilarating 8-11, 11-1, 4-11, 13-11, 11-6, 11-8 victory.
Her opponent in the title match will be second-ranked Liu Shiwen, who will be making her first appearance in the final after seeing off 18-year-old Zhu Yuling 11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-8.
On Sunday, left-hander Baum had Zhang in trouble in the third game but spurned four chances to take a 2-1 lead as the 2012 Olympic title-holder reeled off six straight points to move in front. Baum's challenge wilted from there onwards, with the World No. 29 picking up just five more points in the match as Zhang closed things out in clinical fashion to set up a last-four showdown with top-ranked Xu Xin.
Xu was given a real scare by Japan's Kenta Matsudaira before he eventually prevailed 11-8, 9-11, 6-11, 14-12, 11-5, 11-8. Rising star Matsudaira, full of confidence having already knocked out decorated Chinese veteran Ma Lin earlier in the week, almost had Xu staring at a three game to one deficit only for the World No. 1 to show his resolve and level the match.
With the crisis averted, Xu then moved up through the gears to quash any threat of an upset and seal his place in the semis.
Fourth seed Zhang recovered from a sluggish start to down Baum 9-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-2, 11-3 and ensure, just like in the women's draw, a Chinese sweep of all four singles medals.
On Saturday, Olympic champion Li Xiaoxia knocked off top seed and title-holder Ding Ning to reach the women's final. Third seed Li had reduced Ding to tears after pipping her to the Olympic crown in London last August, and there was more heartbreak for the world No. 1 as Li triumphed in the French capital with an exhilarating 8-11, 11-1, 4-11, 13-11, 11-6, 11-8 victory.
Her opponent in the title match will be second-ranked Liu Shiwen, who will be making her first appearance in the final after seeing off 18-year-old Zhu Yuling 11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-8.
On Sunday, left-hander Baum had Zhang in trouble in the third game but spurned four chances to take a 2-1 lead as the 2012 Olympic title-holder reeled off six straight points to move in front. Baum's challenge wilted from there onwards, with the World No. 29 picking up just five more points in the match as Zhang closed things out in clinical fashion to set up a last-four showdown with top-ranked Xu Xin.
Xu was given a real scare by Japan's Kenta Matsudaira before he eventually prevailed 11-8, 9-11, 6-11, 14-12, 11-5, 11-8. Rising star Matsudaira, full of confidence having already knocked out decorated Chinese veteran Ma Lin earlier in the week, almost had Xu staring at a three game to one deficit only for the World No. 1 to show his resolve and level the match.
With the crisis averted, Xu then moved up through the gears to quash any threat of an upset and seal his place in the semis.
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