| Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor |
| World Number One Beaten as German Captures Gold |
 Press Release No.7
Sunday 17th September 2006
World Number One Beaten as German Captures Gold
On Sunday 17th September 2006, Timo Boll reinforced the fact that he is the major threat to the dominance of China in the world of men’s table tennis; in the final of the Men’s Singles event at the Panasonic China Open he beat Wang Liqin, the reigning World champion, to capture the prestigious crown.
Twenty-five year old Boll defeated Wang Liqin, currently ranked number one in the world, in six games to clinch the title; his fast attacking play overcoming the counter attacking skills of the tall Chinese ace.
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Timo Boll won 11-8, 5-11, 11-8, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8. It was the tenth time that the pair had met in a world ranking event and it was the sixth time that Boll had prevailed.
Meanwhile, in the counterpart Women’s Singles final the result of one week earlier on the ITTF Pro Tour was repeated.
At the Volkswagen Open Singapore, Zhang Yining beat her Chinese team colleague, Wang Nan, to arrest the title. In Guangzhou, she won again but it was a much closer affair, the currently Olympic and World champion beat the previous owner of those two illustrious titles in a contest littered with breathtaking rallies. Zhang Yining won in seven games succeeding 9-11, 7-11, 16-14, 13-11, 12-10, 8-11, 11-7.
A defeat in the Men’s Singles for Wang Liqin but there was success in the Men’s Doubles; partnering Hao Shuai the pair beat the reigning Olympic champions, colleagues Chen Qi and Ma Lin. They won in 11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 3-11, 12-10.
It was the first ever Men’s Doubles title on the ITTF Pro Tour for the partnership oh Hao Shuai and Wang Liqin whilst for Chen Qi and Ma Lin it was only the second time in their careers that they have reached an ITTF Pro Tour final and lost. They have won ten of the twelve final appearances, the only other defeat being in 2005 at the Liebherr Qatar Open.
Success for China in the Men’s Doubles but in the Women’s Doubles, Gao Jun and Shen Yanfei; both originally from China but now representing the United States of America and Spain respectively, clinched the title.
In the final they beat the hitherto untried Chinese partnership of Li Xiaoxia and Wang Nan, the fact that Gao Jun and Shen Yanfei have now been doubles partners on the ITTF Pro Tour for fourteenth months, was a telling factor.
Shen Yanfei and Gao Jun won11-8, 7-11, 5-11, 11-7,11-8, 11-7.
For full results and reports visit www.ittf.com
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