4/28/2010 Volkswagen 2010 Cup

A total of 25 million viewers on CCTV5 and approximately five million viewers on 12 regional and city channels made the first ever VW Cup a massive success.

They are the facts and figure for the Volkswagen Cup held in the Chinese city of Guangzhou in late March.

Organising an event for the very first time is never an easy task.

It requires months of planning and attention to detail; before a new event, despite promotion and preparation you are never sure how the event will be received.

 3/30/2010 Volkswagen 2010 Cup

China’s Ma Long, the no.1 seed, won the Men’s Singles title at the Volkswagen Open – Guangzhou on Tuesday 30th March 2010, beating Korea’s Joo Se Hyuk in the final

In a contest that thoroughly entertained and captivated the 4,000 strong crowd, Ma Long blasted his way to success with a series of exocet missiles from a forehand that eventually brought errors from the outstanding backspin skills of Joo Se Hyuk.

Ma Long won 11-3, 9-11, 11-7, 13-11, 11-4.

 3/30/2010 Volkswagen 2010 Cup

Gold medallist at the Evergrande Real Estate Asian Cup three days earlier, winner of the Volkswagen Women’s World Cup in 2009, both tournaments staged in Guangzhou, on Tuesday 30th March 2010China’s 18 year old Liu Shiwen showed her liking for playing in the city in which she honed her skills

She clinched the Women’s Singles title at the Volkswagen Cup – Guangzhou beating Singapore’s Feng Tianwei, the no.2 seed, at the final hurdle/

In a hard fought duel with the local crowd willing her to greater heights she recovered from an opening game deficit to justify her top seeded position.

 3/30/2010 Volkswagen 2010 Cup

Zhang Guangning, the Mayor of Guangzhou, is a lover of table tennis, it is the sport he enjoys far more than any other; that fact is is abundantly clear to all concerned.

In 2008 the city successfully staged the Evergrande Real Estate World Team Championships, in 2009 it was the home for the Asian Cup and also an excellently presented Volkswagen Women’s World Cup. Meanwhile, in 2010 there has been the recently concluded Evergrande Real Estate Asian Cup and on Sunday 30th March 2010, the Volkswagen Cup – Guangzhou came to a close.

 3/30/2010 Volkswagen 2010 Cup

Belgian brothers Jean-Michel and Philippe Saive won the Spectacular Pairs competition at the Volkswagen Cup – Guangzhou on the evening of Tuesday 30th March 2010.

They finished in first place with a total score in the final of 27 points.

Runners up were the Czech Republic’s Strbikova and Hungary’s Krisztina Toth.

Providing an entertaining shown they recorded an impressive 20 points.

 3/30/2010 Volkswagen 2010 Cup

Japan’s Naomi Yotsumoto and Bettine Vriesekoop of the Netherlands were introduced to the crowd at the start of the Fashion Challenge contest at the Volkswagen Cup-Guangzhou on the evening of Tuesday 30th March 2010.

However, the actual match was arguably not the centrepiece of the show, it was the up market clothes in which they were dressed.

Bettine Vriesekoop wore a red sleeveless top with contrasting black skirt and duly bowed to the crowd as she entered the arena. Meanwhile, as for Naomi Yostsumoto, the colour scheme was the same, the design very different.

 3/30/2010 Volkswagen 2010 Cup

Singapore’s Feng Tianwei booked her place in the final of the Women’s Singles event at the Volkswagen Cup-Guangzhou by recording a six games victory over Hong Kong’s Jiang Huajun in their semi-final encounter.

In a contest, where the ability to excel in the art of service and return was of the utmost importance, Feng Tianwei gradually asserted her authority on proceedings and justified her high billing in the prestigious event.

Feng Tianwei won 5-11, 11-5, 10-12, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5.