US Open: Chinese win all events

US Open Review

Saturday, July 6, 2002

ITTF Press Releases

WANG NAN UPSET IN QUARTERFINAL

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - Big names toppled the top half of the Women's Singles US Open Pro Tour. World ranked nr. 1 WANG Nan (CHN) was stunned in straight games by LIN Ling (HKG), 11-5, 16-14, 11-9, 11-3.

RYU Ji Hye (KOR) fared not much better against another Hong Kong entrant, losing to LAU Sui Fei (HKG) in five games 11-13, 11-5, 11-8, 12-10, 11-8. LIN and LAU will face off in the first Women's Singles semi-final on Saturday at 12 PM EST.

In the other side of the draw, defending US Open Pro Tour champion NIU Jianfeng (CHN) needed two match-ending net balls to complete a comeback from 1-3 and squeeze past teammate GUO Yan (CHN) 7-11, 11-8, 6-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-9. She will face ZHANG Yining (CHN) in tomorrow's second semi-final, who also needed all 7 games to advance, edging ZHANG Rui (HKG) 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, `11-8, 4-11, 12-10.

NO ROOM AT THE TOP

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - CHUAN Chih-Yuan (TPE), third in ITTF Pro Tour Standings found no welcome mat at the top of the World Rankings against KONG Linghui (CHN) in the Men's Singles quarterfinals. KONG elevated his game to end CHUAN's run 10-12, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8, 11-3.

Werner SCHLAGER (AUT) and QIN Zhijian (CHN) yielded even less, downing Thomas KEINATH (GER) and LIU Guoliang (CHN) in straight games, respectively. Only Frederik HAKANSSON (SWE) could mount a challenge, coming back from 0-2, 6-10 in the 3rd to tie MA Lin (CHN)and then win 14-12. But the Swede was not able to summon the magic he ossessed in earlier rounds, confounded at times by MA's services and at other times by his own declining execution.

QIN CONTINUES ROLL

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - QIN Zhijan (CHN) continued as the giant killer in singles semi-final action at the US Open Pro Tour. Already counting World #1 and World #9 among his victims, the doubles specialist held #8 Werner SCHLAGER (AUT) at arm's length with confounding serves and timely counter driving.

SCHLAGER rallied only briefly, late in the 2nd and early in the 5th, before succumbing to QIN's effective serves, 11-3, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9.
World #2 MA Lin (CHN) dispatched his doubles partner, World #5 KONG Linghui (CHN), with little drama, dropping a back and forth 1st game but leading throughout the remaining 4.

With #1 WANG Ligin (CHN) out early, #2 MA can gain points toward the World's top spot with a win in Florida, but is not within reach to overtake his teammate this weekend.

In women's play ZHANG Yining (CHN) looked very sharp in a 6 game win over teammate NIU Jianfeng (CHN). The defending US Open champion captured games 2 and 3, but was undone by a string of 9 straight lost points from 10-7 up in the 5th to 4-0 down in the 6th. Final scores were 11-6, 9-11, 8-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-5.

ZHANG will meet LAU Sui Fei (HKG) in the finals. LAU won easily over an uninspired LIN Ling (HKG) who was unable to repeat the level of play she demonstrated upsetting World #1 WANG Nan (CHN) on Friday.

CHINA RULES IN FLORIDA

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - ZHANG Yining (CHN) certainly enjoyed her trip to Southern Florida this year much better than the one she made last year. Upset in the 2nd round by Olga NEMES (GER) in 2001, ZHANG captured two ITTF Pro Tour titles in 2002.

ZHANG dominated LAU Sui Fei (HKG) in the Women's Single final, winning 11-5, 11-9, 11-7, 11-2 on the strength of a remarkably dependable backhand attack.
In Women's Doubles, ZHANG and her partner LI Nan (CHN) enjoyed similar success, leaving WANG Nan (CHN) and NIU Jianfeng (CHN) to ponder the meaning of an 11-7, 11-7, 12-10, 11-8 spanking.

World #2 MA Lin (CHN) rejoined #5 KONG Linghui (CHN) to win Men's Doubles over a game pair that decided to compete together only after arriving in Fort Lauderdale. Frederik HAKANSSON (SWE) and OH Sang Eun (KOR) made the most of their encounter, challenging the Chinese throughout the final match. Down 2-1 in games, they took a 4-0 lead but faded to a 6-6 tie and dropped the game 12-10. MA and KONG looked to be dispatching the match when the "odd couple" rallied again before losing at 11-9.

MA then matched ZHANG as a double winner by ending countryman QIN Zhijan's upset run in the Men's Singles final. In the first 3 games, MA solved QIN's service, placing pushes and flips into awkward spots, alternately jamming and stretching the lefthanderŠdenying any effective third ball offense.

But in the middle of the 4th game, QIN steadied and opened his attacks more dependably, winning 11-8 after trailing 5-3. QIN battled gamely in the 5th with the growing support of the crowd, clearly hoping for more table tennis. Receiving at 5-7, MA sportingly reversed an edge ball call and fell to 7-7 before cranking up one more offensive surge to capture the title 11-7.

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US Open: Chinese win all events

WANG NAN UPSET IN QUARTERFINAL

NO ROOM AT THE TOP

QIN CONTINUES ROLL

CHINA RULES IN FLORIDA

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