DAWEI ITTF PRO TOUR GRAND FINALS 2001

10-13 January 2001, Tianjin (China)
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READY FOR TIANJIN

7/12/2001
Peter Jensen, ITTF
Lausanne, Switzerland

The Farum Danish Open last week were the last Pro Tour event in 2001 and therefore also the last opportunity to earn the points necessary to qualify for the Pro Tour Grand Finals in Tianjin, China.
16 players in singles and 8 pairs in doubles qualify – the host nation has the right to at least one player/pair between the 16/8 in each event.
Some players went to Farum to find their luck – and were rewarded. Some stayed at home hoping that the points they already earned would be enough – and were pushed out into the cold.
Before the Swedish Open and Farum Danish Open RYU Seung Min (KOR) was far from the top 16 in men’s singles but he reached the final in Sweden and going to the 3rd round a week later in Denmark he finished nr. 15 – with a ticket to China.
Jan-Ove WALDNER (SWE) and MA Lin (CHN) both needed to reach the semi-final in Denmark and since they met in the final, they are both going to Tianjin. Through his victory in Farum MA Lin actually jumped to nr. 8 on the Pro Tour standings. WALDNER is nr. 13.
LIU Guozheng (CHN) and Vladimir SAMSONOV were both in top 16 before Farum Danish Open. They chose to stay at home. LIU survived, SAMSONOV did not. LIU Guozheng goes to  Tianjin as nr. 16 on the list. SAMSONOV is first substitute as nr. 17.
In men’ doubles CHENG Yuk/LEUNG Chu Yuan (HKG) and MA Lin/WANG Hao (CHN) made their way into the group of the 8 best pairs in the World in 2001.
The Hongkong-pair needed a place in the semi finals in Denmark and they got it. MA Lin/WANG Hao needed the same but they went all the way to the final where they lost to KIM Taek Soo/OH Sang Eun (KOR).

MA and WANG pushed down their compatriots and World Champions WANG Liqin/YAN Sen, so MA/WANG will be the only Chinese pair. Allan BENTSEN/Finn TUGWELL ended up as nr. 6 on the list, they will be the first Danes ever going to the Pro Tour Grand Finals.