8/16/2009 2009 China Open

The reigning World champion, Wang Hao underlined his current status as the best table tennis player on planet earth, by winning the Men’s Singles title at the China Open in Tianjin on Sunday 16th August 2009.

Ranked no.1 on the ITTF Men’s World Ranking list, a position he assumed in October 2007 and has never relinquished, Wang Hao was severely tested at the final hurdle by Chinese national team colleague Hao Shuai.

He was required to win the very last two games in a contest that went the full distance in order to secure victory. Wang Hao won 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 4-11, 3-11, 11-8, 11-4; for a duel that went the full seven games it is perhaps somewhat surprising that only the third game was determined by the minimal two point margin.

 8/16/2009 2009 China Open

The host nation’s 18 year old Liu Shiwen won the Women’s Singles title at the China Open in Tianjin on Sunday 16th August 2009 and in so doing completed a hat-trick of Women’s Singles titles on the ITTF Pro Tour in 2009.

Earlier in the year she opened her account by winning in Denmark, before succeeding on home soil at the Harmony China Open.

In the final in Tianjin she overcame the defensive skills of Chinese national team compatriot, Wu Yang, in five games.

 8/16/2009 2009 China Open

Playing as a partnership on the ITTF Pro Tour for the very first time, Hao Shuai and Li Ping captured the Men’s Doubles crown at the China Open in Tianjin on Sunday 16th August 2009.

At the final hurdle they beat their more experienced colleagues, Ma Lin and Wang Liqin in six games. In an all China final, Hao Shuai and Li Ping combined in perfect harmony to succeed 12-10, 5-11, 10-12, 11-6, 11-4, 11-9.

A new partnership but it would seem that Li Ping is becoming somewhat of a doubles expert.

 8/16/2009 2009 China Open

Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen, the no.2 seeds, won the Women’s Doubles crown at the China Open in Tianjin on Sunday 16th August 2009 and in so doing added to their list of successes on the ITTF Pro Tour.

At the final hurdle they beat Chinese National Team colleagues Cao Zhen and Li Xiaodan, who were competing as a pair on the ITTF Pro Tour for the first time, being advised throughout their path to the final by Yan Sen, a renowned doubles expert.

 8/16/2009 2009 China Open

Wang Hao and Hao Shuai booked their places in the final of the Men’s Singles event at the China Open in Tianjin, following successes at the penultimate stage late in the morning of Sunday 16th August 2009.

In all Chinese affairs, Wang Hao repeated the success he enjoyed over Wang Liqin in the final of the Men’s Singles event at the H.I.S. World Championships earlier in the year whilst Hao Shuai replicated the victory he had enjoyed over Zhang Jike at the quarter-final stage of the Men’s Singles event at the Slovenian Open in January 2009.

Wang Hao won 4-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 12-10; Hao Shuai succeeded 10-12, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9.

 8/16/2009 2009 China Open

The host nation’s Liu Shiwen and Wu Yang, both still young enough to compete in junior age group events, emerged successful at the semi-final stage of the Women’s Singles event at the China Open in Tianjin on Sunday 16th August 2009.

They recorded respective wins over compatriot Fan Ying and Singapore’s Feng Tianwei.

Seeded no.1, Liu Shiwen overcame Fan Ying, seeded no.10, in four straight games winning 11-6, 11-5, 11-1, 11-8 whilst in six games, the un-seeded, Wu Yang, defeated Feng Tianwei, the no.2 seed.

 8/15/2009 2009 China Open

The second seeded pairs in both the Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles events at the China Open in Tianjin booked their places in the respective finals following quarter-final and semi-final successes on Saturday 15th August 2009.

In the Women’s Doubles event Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen duly progressed to the gold medal contest as did Ma Lin and Wang Liqin in the counterpart Men’s Doubles competition. However, for the other highly rated pairings there were problems upon problems.