| Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor |
| New Record Set on ITTF Pro Tour |
 Press Release No.6
Sunday 10th September 2006
New Record Set on ITTF Pro Tour
Twenty-five year old Zhang Yining set a new record on the ITTF Pro Tour when she won the Women’s Singles title at the Volkswagen Open Singapore on Sunday 10th September 2006.
She beat Chinese national team colleague and doubles partner, Wang Nan, in the final. The result means she has won more singles titles than any other player on the ITTF Pro Tour since the competition started in 1996.
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Zhang Yining has now secured a total of twenty-three Women’s Singles titles, including three victories in the ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals. She now moves one ahead of her male compatriot Wang Liqin. Prior to the Volkswagen Open Singapore, both Wang Liqin and Zhang Yining had the identical number of wins; however, the early exit of Wang Liqin in the Men’s Singles event in Singapore means that he has not added to his tally.
Furthermore, Zhang Yining enjoyed success in the Women’s Doubles event at the Volkswagen Open Singapore; in the final Wang Nan and Zhang Yining were in the fast lane beating Hong Kong’s Tie Yana and Zhang Rui in straight games to capture the title. In 2006 Wang Nan and Zhang Yining are unbeaten in Women’s Doubles events on the ITTF Pro Tour; their victory on Sunday 10th September 2006 was their fourth of the year and including their win in the Volkswagen Pro Tour Grand Finals in December 2004, it was ninth of their ITTF Pro Tour careers. Only Guo Yue and Niu Jianfeng have won more, they have a total of ten Women’s Doubles titles to their credit.
Success for China in the women’s events and there was also success for their male players. In a gripping Men’s Singles final, Ma Lin prevailed against a rejuvenated Chuan Chih-Yuan of Chinese Taipei. He won in seven games after taking a `Time Out’ when down 3-6 in the sixth game and trailing by three games to two; in the seventh game there was little to choose between the two protagonists in the early exchanges but
once the players had changed ends, Ma Lin moved from strength to strength to secure victory.
It was Ma Lin’s third consecutive win in Men’s Singles events on the ITTF Pro Tour, the two previous successes came in at the Salwa Cup Kuwait Open in February and at the Volkswagen Open China in June.
Earlier in the proceedings Ma Lin had emerged successful in the Men’s Doubles event. Partnering colleague Chen Qi, the man with whom he won the Men’s Doubles title at the Olympic Games in 2004; the pair beat the hitherto untried Chinese partnership of Ma Long and Wang Liqin. Chen Qi and Ma Lin won in six games to secure the tenth ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Doubles title of their careers.
Finals:
Men’s Singles
Ma Lin (CHN) bt Chuan Chih-Yuan (TPE) 6-11, 11-13, 11-2, 11-9, 12-14, 11-9, 11-5
Women’s Singles
Zhang Yining (CHN) bt Wang Nan (CHN) 11-8, 11-8, 11-8, 5-11, 8-11, 11-9
Men’s Doubles
Chen Qi/Ma Lin (CHN) bt Ma Long/Wang Liqin (CHN) 11-8, 7-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-6
Women’s Doubles
Wang Nan/Zhang Yining (CHN) bt Tie Yana/Zhang Rui (HKG) 11-1, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8
For full results and reports visit www.ittf.com
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