New Chinese Star Wins First Pro Tour Event
First published on Sunday, January 25, 2009
Last updated on Sunday, January 25, 2009
ITTF Press Release
Liu Shiwen was crowned Women's Singles champion at the ITTF Pro Tour Danish Open. The 17 year old teenager succeeded in the final in four straight games against Korea’s Kim Kyung Ah.
The way Liu played in Denmark was impressive. The world n. 22 won all her matches four-nil except in the second round against Croatia’s Sandra Paovic.
Progressing Well
The best Pro Tour result so far for the young lady from Liaoning was obe week ago in Velenje, Slovenia.
However, Liu is not an unknown name for the insider. In 2004 she won the silver medal at the World Junior Championships in the Girls’ Singles losing to the eventual winner, Chang Chenchen. It was her only defeat in the whole tournament. She won the gold medal in the Girls’ Doubles, Mixed and Team event.
If Liu progresses in the current speed, she will be able to challenge the best Chinese players of the national team. In Frederikshavn, she already beat the reigning Chinese champion Wen Jia.
Ma Long Wins First Duel against Dimitrij Ovtcharov in the Danish Open Final
Ma Long won his fifth singles title on the ITTF Pro Tour. The 20 year old Chinese defeated Germany’s also 20 year old Dimitrij Ovtcharov in seven games.
The German showed resistance in his first ever Pro Tour singles final. However, after eliminating already two players from China, Ovtcharov was stopped by Ma Long, the world number three.
Happy German Faces
Although the winner eventually came from China, neither Dimitrij Ovtcharov nor his coach Richard Prause were in deep sadness. “The coach is almost pleased”, Prause was quoted. “Pity! It’s always better to win a final, but first of all Dimitrij has reached his first Pro Tour final. That’s great and a very good performance.”
Dimitrij Ovtcharov made a compliment for his opponent but challenged him at the same time: “I think he can even play a bit better if he’s in a good shape”, he said about Ma Long, “but his style of play fits me well, like Wang Liqin’s. He’s good for me to play.”
Ma Long and Ovtcharov have never played each other before.
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