She’s done it, Ding Ning is champion of the World!!! (Suzhou 2015)

Women’s Singles: Final

Injury issues can’t stop Ding from claiming her second World Championships singles gold, beating Liu in dramatic style (7-11, 15-13, 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 4-11, 11-8). An incredibly momentous occasion made even more special in front of the home crowd in Suzhou. Congratulations to 2015 World Championships women’s singles champion Ding Ning!

Disaster strikes! (Suzhou 2015)

Women’s Singles: Final

Play has stopped here temporarily, Ding grabs her ankle in frustration and a medical time out is called. Receiving treatment on court, Ding is keen to continue but her task has grown even more difficult now. The advantage appears to be shifting against the London 2012 silver medallist.

Titanic contest (Suzhou 2015)

Women’s Singles: Final

If it’s drama you’re looking for the action unfolding at the Suzhou International Expo Center won’t disappoint with both finalists going hammer and tongs. Off to a slow start Ding has recovered rather well to turn a 0-1 deficit into a 3-1 lead. However, Liu isn’t going down without a fight, adding games five and six to her collection to force a deciding seventh – who will lift the cup?

Back to Suzhou for a very special event (Suzhou 2015)

Finally we return to Suzhou 2015 on a day that played host to the women’s singles final between two of China’s finest in Liu Shiwen and Ding Ning.

Former World champions crash out (Halmstad 2018)

Women’s Team: Round of 16

Wow, just wow! If you’re a fan of surprises then we’ve got a big one for you to digest as Ukraine has just eliminated 2010 World champions Singapore in the last 16 of the women’s team event in Halmstad.

Seeded 15th overall and seven positions below their Asian opponents, the odds weren’t on Ukraine’s side heading into this one but with Ganna Gaponova striking victory over Yu Mengyu (11-6, 5-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8), a spark of hope was born. Margaryta Pesotska’s four-game success against Lin Ye (11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6) saw ambitions rise further only for Tetyana Bilenko, with the match level at 2-2, to go on and beat Yu Mengyu (12-10, 11-9, 11-8) and confirm a dramatic 3-2 win for Ukraine. What a result!

And we’re on the move again (Halmstad 2018)

Fresh from one World Team Championships, we now move to another, staged four years later in Halmstad, Sweden.

Romanian trio battle past Korea Republic (Tokyo 2014)

Women’s Team: Round of 16

An exciting player line-up, but who could have predicted this? Romania has produced a stunning 3-2 victory over 2012 World Championships bronze medallists Korea Republic here in Tokyo.

Despite Suh Hyowon registering two victories from her time on the table the Korean team would ultimately taste defeat: success for Elizabeta Samara (11-4, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5) and Bernadette Szocs (11-13, 11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5) in their respective encounters with Yang Haeun, another victory Seok Hajung courtesy of Daneila Monteiro Dodean (11-1, 6-11, 11-5, 5-11, 11-7) proved enough to see the European outfit through in a most extraordinary match.

From Yokohama to Tokyo (Tokyo 2014)

Staying in the Land of the Rising Sun, we look ahead five years to the 2014 World Team Championships in Tokyo.

Ma Lin shows nerves of steel (Yokohama 2009)

Men’s Singles: Round of 16

What an absolute cracking match we’ve just witnessed at the Yokohama Arena as Ma Lin scrapes through a dramatic seven-game thriller to book his spot in the men’s singles quarter-finals.

The early signs look promising for China’s Ma, who establishes his rhythm quickly against his Japanese counterpart but there was still plenty of room for drama in this match. Trailing by a 3-1 deficit by the close of game four, Matsudaira began to find his range and before long he found himself level once again at 3-3. Leading for the majority of game seven Matsudaira was closing in on an incredible comeback win, however, Ma held his nerve to make it over the finish line as victor (11-9, 11-7, 4-11, 13-11, 8-11, 8-11, 11-9).

Back we go! (Yokohama 2009)

We’re heading back to the past again, to 2009 to be precise where the World Championships are being played out in Yokohama.

Xu Xin and Zhang Jike crowned doubles champions (Suzhou 2015)

Men’s Doubles: Final

2011 World Championships men’s doubles gold medallist Xu Xin has added another to his collection in Suzhou, prevailing alongside Zhang Jike in an exciting finale to the competition.

On the wrong end of a narrow first-game defeat, Xu and Zhang kept their composure, claiming the lead with back-to-back game wins. Fellow Chinese compatriots Fan Zhendong and Zhou Yu manage to claw one back to level the tie, but they can’t build upon it as Xu and Zhang emerge as champions (12-14, 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9).

Liu with a massive upset! (Suzhou 2015)

Women’s Singles: Semi-finals

It’s all happening here! The reigning World and Olympic Champion Li Xiaoxia has been eliminated by the awe-inspiring performance of Liu Shiwen!

In a fierce encounter between two Chinese athletes, Liu came out on top in splendid fashion, beating Li 4-1 (11-6, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8). Both players have had a very strong tournament and it was proposed to be a match possible to go all the way for a seven-game decider.  However, within the first game itself, Liu established control and never let it go. Despite the best efforts of Li in balancing the flow of the match after winning the second game, it was all about Liu’s ferocious shot-play and movement around the table. She’s certainly one for the future!

Bam! Zum! Hzaaah! (Suzhou 2015)

The Time Machine works! Here we are, ten years into the future! What a ride!

It’s the day of the World Table Tennis Championships here in Suzhou, China… and we will shortly be starting with some intense battles! 

Heister ousts Olympic champion Ryu! (Shanghai 2005)

Round One: Men’s Singles

It is certainly a day for shocks, isn’t it? Netherlands’ Danny Heister has managed to stun the crowd and his opponent alike, as he showed the door to the Olympic champion Ryu Seungmin!

The Korea Republic international has been a fan favorite to go deep into the knock-out stages of the World Championships, but the Dutch Heister clearly had other plans. Winning 4-3 (11-7, 12-10, 10-12, 12-10, 11-13, 8-11, 11-4), he never look like was out of control and quite unlike himself Ryu, never looked to have a way to beat back down the intensity of Heister’s shots! What a way to kick-start this tournament!

He Zhiwen wins European classic! (Shanghai 2005)

Round One: Men’s Singles

Welcome to the 2005 World Table Tennis Championships in Shanghai, where we have had an explosive start to the proceedings on May 2nd! Two Europeans have clashed in spectacular fashion, and the rest was anyone’s best guess.

Spain’s He Zhiwen looked out of sorts in the first two games as Austria’s Werner Schlager took the lead, winning two games by 11-7 each. At the end of  the fourth game, with Schalger leading 3-1, it seemed to be the end for He, but boy were we mistaken! The Spanish athlete came roaring back into the match, beating his European colleague in a seven game thriller, as he won 4-3 (7-11, 7-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-1)!