2/21/2009 2009 Qatar Open

In the most dramatic of finals, Germany’s Timo Boll kept his nerve and maintained his concentration to win the Men’s Singles event at the Qatar Open on Saturday 21st February 2009, in what was arguably the very best match of the whole five days of action in the splendid surroundings of the Doha.

He beat China’s Ma Lin 6-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 6-11, 14-12 and in so doing prevented the Chinese star of achieving what no other player at the Qatar Open has ever achieved; winning the title three times in consecutive years.

 2/21/2009 2009 Qatar Open

Zhang Yining retained her Women’s Singles title at the Qatar Open in Doha on Saturday 21st February 2009 beating Chinese national team compatriot Guo Yue in four straight games.

In a contest between the reigning Olympic champion and the reigning World champion it was the former who prevailed and she prevailed in style. She won 11-6, 11-2, 11-6, 11-9.

It was a performance that underlined her status of being the world’s no.1 ranked female table tennis player.

 2/21/2009 2009 Qatar Open

Ma Long and Xu Xin, the rising stars of Chinese table tennis won the Men’s Doubles crown at the Qatar Open in Doha on Saturday 21st February 2009 beating colleagues Hao Shuai and Wang Liqin at the final hurdle.

They won 4-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7.

It was a slow start but after winning a close second game confidence blossomed; the combination of the penholder, Xu Xin, with the shgakehands grip player, Ma Long, irrepressible.

 2/21/2009 2009 Qatar Open

China’s Guo Yue and Zhang Yining won the Women’s Doubles title at the Qatar Open in Doha on Saturday 21st February 2009 beating compatriots Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen in five games to strike gold.

They won 11-3, 11-2, 11-4, 11-13, 12-10 and in so doing retained the title won one year earlier.

It was in many respects a quite breathtaking performance; in the first three games they could do no wrong, they gave their younger adversaries no time to draw breath. The performance was simply awesome before a degree of sanity returned.

 2/21/2009 2009 Qatar Open

Determination and no lack of skill saw Germany’s Timo Boll recover from a three games to one deficit against China’s Hao Shuai, the no.7 seed, to book his place in the Men’s Singles final at the Qatar Open in Doha on Saturday 21st February 2009.

He beat Hao Shuai 7-11, 10-12, 11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-8 in a tense confrontation that marks a minor landmark in the career of the German. The victory meant that it was the first time he had ever reached a Men’s Singles final at an ITTF Pro Tour tournament in Qatar.

 2/21/2009 2009 Qatar Open

China’s Ma Lin, seeded no.1, overcame his compatriot Wang Liqin at the semi-final stage of the Men’s Singles event at the Qatar Open in Doha on the morning of Saturday 21st February 2009 to book his place in the final.

In a contest between the players who have clinched the title for the past four years, it was the penholder who succeeded, against the shakehands grip player.

Ma Lin who won in 2007 and 2008 beat Wang Liqin who won in 2005 and 2006, by four games to nil.

 2/21/2009 2009 Qatar Open

China’s Guo Yue, the no.2 seed, duly booked her place in the final of the Women’s Singles event at the Qatar Open on Saturday 21st February 2009 by overcoming Korea’s Park Mi Young at the penultimate stage.

In the splendid surroundings of the Doha Sports Club she gave a display of control, patience and self-discipline to overcome the defensive artistry of the Korean defender Park Mi Young.

Guo Yue won 11-6, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8.