11/22/2009 2009 Asian Championships

Winner of the Men’s Singles title at the English Open some three weeks earlier in the city of Sheffield; Ma Long was repeated that form to win the Men’s Singles title at the Asian Championships in Lucknow on Sunday 22nd November 2009.

He was as devastating as he had been in Sheffield with both Ma Long and his adversary giving total commitment just as Li Xiaoxia and Ding Ning had done before in the Women’s Singles final.

It was China versus China but that was forgotten, the crowd was seeing too fine athletes battle for the top prize.

 11/22/2009 2009 Asian Championships

Nineteen year old Ding Ning upset the seeding at the Asian Championships in Lucknow on Sunday 22nd November 2009 to clinch the Women’s Singles title with a superb display of attacking table tennis.

The left hander, having beaten second seed Liu Shiwen in the semi-finals defeated top seed, Li Xiaoxia in a tremendous gold medal contest.

She won in seven games, coming from behind time and time again.

 11/22/2009 2009 Asian Championships

On the ITTF Pro Tour in 2009, the partnership of Ma Long and Xu Xin has proved a potent force, titles to their credit; at the Asian Championships in Lucknow on Sunday 22nd November their pedigree was re-inforced.

In an all Chinese final they won the Men’s Doubles crown beating the partnership of Wang Liqin and Zhang Jike.

Not only did they win but they won in a most impressive manner.

 11/22/2009 2009 Asian Championships

Seeded no.1, Ding Ning and Li Xiaoxia won the Women’s Doubles title at the Asian Championships in the Indian city of Lucknow on Sunday 22nd November 2009 to justify their exalted position in the draw.

However, by no means was the passage straightforward. They were given a severe test by the Korean duo of Kim Kyung Ah and Park Mi Young, the top seeds won in six games. Ding Ning and Li Xiaoxia beat Kim Kyung Ah and Park Mi Young 11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 11-13, 11-9, 12-10.

 11/22/2009 2009 Asian Championships

The next generation showed its worth in the semi-finals of the Men’s Singles event at the Asian Championships in the Indian city of Lucknow on Sunday 22nd November 2009.

Four players from China in the semi-finals with Ma Long and Zhang Jike emerging as the winners; both were outstanding, both demonstrated electric attacking skills.

Ma Long beat Xu Xin 9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 12-10, 14-12, 11-6.

 11/22/2009 2009 Asian Championships

Ding Ning and Li Xiaoxia emerged successful at the semi-final stage of the Women’s Singles event at the Asian Championships in Lucknow on Sunday 22nd November 2009.

In all-Chinese affairs the former overcame Liu Shiwen after the latter had defeated Fan Ying.

Li Xiaoxia beat Fan Ying in four straight games winning 14-12, 11-9, 12-10, 11-3. Meanwhile, Ding Ning was in oustanding form to secure victory. She beat Liu Shiwen in one game more; she won 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7.

 11/21/2009 2009 Asian Championships

Ma Long and Li Xiaoxia justified their position as the no.1 seeds in the Mixed Doubles event at the Asian Championships in Lucknow on Saturday 21st November 2009.

They captured the title by recording a six games victory over their national team colleagues Zhang Jike and Ding Ning.

The extra experience was a factor in the final, even though perhaps somewhat marginal. Ma Long and Li Xiaoxia made the better start.