Monday, June 8, 2009
11:51 PM
China VS World Team Challenge - Tianwei no match against Chinese Teenagers
Defeat in the final match of the contest for Ding Ning at the hands of South Korea’s Kim Kyung Ah but it was the only consolation for the World Team in their duel against Volkswagen China in the Women’s Team Challenge. China won by four matches to one in a contest based on the tried and trusted World Championships Team formula.

Eighteen year old Liu Shiwen gave the Chinese Team the perfect start by recording a three games to nil victory over Kim Kyung Ah. Quite simply against the defensive skills of the Korean, Liu Shiwen was a model of consistency; she played virtually error free. It was the third meeting between the two stars in world ranking events; Liu Shiwen won 2 out of their 3 meetings.

The perfect start for Volkswagen China, Ding Ning increased the lead by beating Feng Tianwei in four games and in doing so, Ding Ning has beaten Feng 3 times in a row this year. One month earlier during the group stage of the 22nd Asian Cup in Hangzhou, she had beaten the Singaporean by a similar margin. And in the Chinese Table Tennis Super League just 2 weeks ago, Feng lost once again in the opening match against Beijing Shi Bo Guo Ji.

China in the ascendancy, Li Xiaoxia proved too consistent for Romania’s Daniela Dodean recording a straight games win and thus maintained her unbeaten record against the rising European star. The two had met on three previous occasions with Li Xiaoxia more authoritative in each meeting. In December 2003, they met in the Girls’ Team event at the first ever World Junior Championships when Li Xiaoxia prevailed in a full distance five games contest but later at senior level Li Xiaoxia was dominant. In 2007, they confronted each other at the Slovenian Open and Liebherr German Open, both times victory in straight games for Li Xiaoxia.

Victory for the host nation assured; Liu Shiwen succeeded in straight games in her first ever meeting with Feng Tianwei leaving Ding Ning and Kim Kyung Ah with the task of bringing matters to a close. The verdict went to Kim Kyung Ah who recovered from a two games to nil deficit to record a close five games success. It was defeat for Ding Ning but a much better performance than when she had previously encountered the Korean defender. She had lost both encounters by four games to one; at the Volkswagen China Open in 2008 and at the Danish Open, earlier this year.




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