Teenager Beats Olympic Champion

17-year old Cao Zhen beats Zhang Yining

First published on Sunday, September 12, 2004

Last updated on Sunday, September 12, 2004

ITTF Press Release

Pro Tour Panasonic China Open, Wuxi

Seventeen year old CAO Zhen from China beat her compatriot, ZHANG Yining, the player who won gold medals in both the Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles at the Olympic Games in Athens, in six games at the semi-final stage of the Women’s Singles at the Panasonic China Open in Wuxi on Sunday 12 September 2004.

CAO Zhen underlined the fact that she has graduated from being a promising junior player into a high class senior competitor. In 2002 she won both the singles and doubles events at the World Cadet Challenge and at the World Youth Festival whilst in 2003 she was the semi-finalist in the World Junior Championships, was a member of the Chinese team that won the Asian Youth Championships and announced her arrival at senior level by winning the Women’s Singles at the Malaysian Open. She will play WANG Tingting, also of China in the final; the latter beating her Women’s Doubles partner, FAN Ying in six games at the penultimate stage.

Meanwhile, in the Men’s Singles event MA Lin will play his Chinese national team colleague, WANG Hao, in the final; the former having beaten top seed and current world number one, WANG Liqin at the semi-final stage whilst WANG Hao overcame CHEN Qi in a match that went the full seven games distance.

Men’s Singles Semi-Finals:
MA Lin (CHN) bt WANG Liqin (CHN) 10-12, 11-8, 11-4, 11-6, 12-10
WANG Hao (CHN) bt CHEN Qi (CHN) 5-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 6-11, 11-7

Women’s Singles Semi-Finals
CAO Zhen (CHN) bt ZHANG Yining (CHN) 9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8, 10-12, 11-3
WANG Tingting (CHN) bt FAN ying (CHN) 6-11, 12-10, 1-9, 11-8, 11-7

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Teenager Beats Olympic Champion

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