WTTC: Germany unbeaten in first round

Germans face China in second round

First published on Wednesday, March 3, 2004

Last updated on Monday, March 8, 2004

ITTF Press Release

Germany completed the group stage of their matches in the Men's Team event at the Liebherr World Table Tennis Championships in Doha with a 3-2 victory over Hong Kong. Timo BOLL and Torben WOSIK were both rested and into the team came Christian SÜSS and Jörg ROSSKOPF but it was Zoltan FEJER-KONNERTH whom the Germans had to thank for their victory.

Playing in the first and last matches of the fixture he beat KO Lai Chak and LEUNG Chu Yan whilst Christian SÜSS added Germany's other win overcoming LEUNG Chu Yan in the second match of the contest.

`Zoltan has improved a great deal, he has a good forehand but his backhand is now much better; he's worked very hard in training in recent weeks, he has good feeling, he's talented and now more focused', said coach Istvan KORPA with a deep sense of pride in his voice.

`It's been a good team effort, every match has been tough, every match could have gone either way, all the teams were very even', KORPA added. `Timo BOLL has done very well, he was ill the week before the tournament and he's not in the best physical condition but he fights.'

Germany now face the winners of Group A, China; whilst the two second placed teams in each group face each other Korea and Sweden. The loser of the match between Korea and Sweden will be placed fourth; the winner of the China versus German match progresses to the final whilst the winner of the contest between Korea and Sweden will play a semi-final match against the loser of the China versus Germany clash; the loser of this match will be placed third and the winner will progress to the final.

It is this playing system that will be used in the Championship Division of both the Men's and Women's Team events to decide places 1 to 4, 5 to 8 and 9 to 12.

Related Articles

• China are World Team Champions

← View all Articles