10/14/2009 Volkswagen 2009 Women's World Cup

Monday evening at around 11:20pm the Volkswagen 2009 Women’s World Cup in Guangzhou concluded. In an epic final China’s Liu Shiwen was crowned as the World Cup Champion at the first time of asking. Moreover, not only did we see a sensational match, those on site were also witness to one of the best ever presented Women's World Cup.

 10/12/2009 Volkswagen 2009 Women's World Cup

In her very first appearance in the competition, 18 year old Liu Shiwen, seeded no.3, secured the top prize in the Volkswagen Women’s World Cup in Guangzhou on Monday 12th October 2009, beating Chinese national team compatriot and top seed, Guo Yue, in a seven games final played at breakneck speed.

It was very much a case of the player who established a two or three point lead, gaining in confidence and then accelerating through the gears to win the game.

The one exception to the rule was in the third game, which with the benefit of hindsight arguably the crucial part of the contest.

 10/12/2009 Volkswagen 2009 Women's World Cup

Li Xiaoxia overcame Singapore’s Feng Tianwei in the bronze medal match at the Volkswagen Women’s World Cup in Guangzhou on Monday 12th October 2009 and, in so doing, assured China of the top three places in the competition, with Guo Yue and Liu Shiwen to follow in the final.

In a contest littered with fast close to the table attacking rallies it was the consistency of Li Xiaoxia that secured victory.

She won in four straight games.

 10/12/2009 Volkswagen 2009 Women's World Cup

The use of light emitting diodes (LED) on court surrounds has been introduced at the current Volkswagen Women’s World Cup and it would seem that the innovation has met with the approval of all concerned.

At the meeting of the Women’s Working Group at the Ramada Hotel in Guangzhou on Monday 12th October 2009 it was a move that was endorsed by the players and all concerned.

Certainly the players were not disturbed by the innovation.

 10/12/2009 Volkswagen 2009 Women's World Cup

The reigning champion, China’s 21 year old Li Xiaoxia bowed out of the Volkswagen Women’s World Cup in Guangzhou at the semi-final stage on Monday 12th October 2009.

Seeded no.2, she was beaten in five games by national team compatriot, 18 year old Liu Shiwen, seeded no.3.

However, the contest was arguably closer than the bare facts suggest. Certainly Li Xiaoxia was not prepared to surrender her title without a fight. Liu Shiwen had to recover from an opening game deficit and each game was decided by the minimum two point margin.

 10/11/2009 Volkswagen 2009 Women's World Cup

The Chinese duo of 21 year old Li Xiaoxia and 18 year old Liu Shiwen booked their places in the Volkswagen Women’s World Cup semi-finals in Guangzhou on Sunday 11th October 2009 in devastating fashion.

Seeded no.2, Li Xiaoxia displayed no ill effects from her defeat earlier in the day at the hands of Japan’s Ai Fukuhara, to beat Li Jiao of the Netherlands in five games; whilst with clinical efficiency, Liu Shiwen gave a textbook display on how to beat defensive players. She overcame Korea’s Kim Kyung Ah in four straight games.

 10/11/2009 Volkswagen 2009 Women's World Cup

China’s Guo Yue and Singapore’s Feng Tianwei emerged successful in their quarter-final contests in the top half of the draw at the Volkswagen Women’s World Cup in Guangzhou on the evening of Sunday 11th October 2009.

The respective no.1 and no.4 seeds both survived had fought six game encounters with Guo Yue eventually proving too fast for Austria’s Liu Jia, whilst Feng Tianwei overpowered the defensive skills of the very stylish Park Mi Young.