Sunday, June 7, 2009
7:53 PM
China VS World Team Challenge - Showcase of World Class Table Tennis
Feng Tianwei will be part of the 3 lady team challenging the mighty Chinese on Monday night. She is the highest ranked player, not representing China. Feng recorded her best result at the Beijing Olympic Games, helping Singapore to an historical first ever Olympic medal in team event. 

The team is further supported by Romania’s rising star, the most promising young player from Europe, Daniela Dodean. This lady is currently ranked no. 33, and she is a six times European Junior Champion, reached the last 16 in her first year as senior at the World Championships in 2007 in Zagreb. Last but not least, the team is completed with South Korean Kim Kyung Ah. She is the proud owner of 2 Olympic Bronze Medal - one in the Singles, another in the Team event.

The women players will receive assistance and advice by the National Coach of South Korea, the Olympic and World champion, Hyun Jung Hwa, who was the last non-Chinese Women’s Singles World champion 16 years ago.

The Chinese Women's Team is also no pushovers. The team, led by Li Xiaoxia, despite their relatively young age, they have already achieve much under their name. At a young age of 21, Li is already the Chmpion of the 2008 Women's World Cup. In addition, she was the Silver and Bronze Medalist in the Women's Singles Event of the World Championships in 2007 and 2009 respectively.

Her compatriot Liu Shiwen has got great background as well. Only a teenager, she is currently ranked 7th in the World, just behind Feng Tianwei. She won three World Junior Championship titles at the age of 14 in 2004 and five years later reached the semi-finals of the Women’s Singles at the World Championships in Yokohama.

Lastly, Ding Ning who won the Silver Medal in the recent World Championships partnering Guo Yan in the Women's Doubles Event. In 2005 Ding Ning won no less than three gold medals at the World Junior Championships.

On the other hand, the Men's Team could very well be led by 33 year old Vladimir Samsonov owing to his age and vast experience. He is currently ranked 6 in the World, and was the runner up at the World Championships 12 years ago and six times European champion. He is the only one in the World Team who participated at the similar challenge match in 2006. 

He will have two team mates from Asia. Korean Joo Se Hyuk (No.9) will guarantee spectacular defensive play which brought him his greatest success in 2003 by reaching the final of the World Championships in Paris. The World men’s team will be completed with the shooting star, Kenta Matsudaira. Being the lowest ranked player (No.61) in the field but what a promising rookie! He is still a junior but he was the Junior World champion three years ago when still of cadet age. One month ago he reached the last 16 at the World Championships in Yokohama coming very close to beat the reigning Olympic champion, Ma Lin.

The Chinese Men's Team will consists Ma Long, Xu Xin and Wang Liqin. Wang Liqin, ranked no.5, won one of his three Men’s Singles World Championships titles in his home town, Shanghai four years ago. This local hero is also part of the Men's Team to clinch the Gold at Beijing last year.

Ma Long, the highest ranked player in the team. At such a young age, he have already attained high recognition in the international arena. He is the Silver Medalist at this year's World Championships in the Men's Doubles Event together with Xu Xin. In addition, he was the Champion in the ASIAN Cup in 2008 and 2009. Just only last year, he won the Men's Singles Title in the Pro Tour Grand Finals in Macao, beating World No. 1 Wang Hao.




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