Dortmund 2012, Host country Germany had excelled this afternoon before a sold out crowd of 10,000 in Westfalenhallen Dortmund. Despite the loss of Patrick Baum against Seiya Kishikawa, Germany did not tremble. Timo Boll and his teammates got the better of Japan’s Jun Mizutani and his team 3-1.
China easily won against Korea Republic 3-0. The defender Joo Se Hyuk did not play alongside Oh Sang Eun and Ryu Seung Min. Instead Kim Min Seuk was selected. However, he could not prevent the defeat of his team in the third match against Singles World Champion Zhang Jike.
After the Olympic Finals in Beijing in 2008 and the World Championships Finals in Moscow in 2010, this is the third time in a row that Germany and China will be meeting. China has prevailed each time. In the history of table tennis, the two countries have clashed 20 times and China has achieved a 100% success rate. If Germany could win tomorrow in front of its own fans, this would be an enormous feat, and would equal the achievement of Sweden in 2000 in Kuala Lumpur, where China suffered its last defeat in a World Championships final.
On their victory today, Ma Long of China said: “I was well prepared for this match. I know how important the opening game is and I’m glad that I started with a 11-2 win. Ever since the loss I had in Moscow in the finals, I’ve worked on my mental strength and I hope I will be chosen tomorrow for the finals against Germany. I’m ready for that, even with their enthusiastic home crowd.”
Men’s Teams Championship Division
Saturday 31 March 2012: Semi-finals Results
China –Korea Republic: 3-0
Japan – Germany: 1-3
Sunday 1 April 2012: Finals
01.30 pm: China – Germany
Singapore – China, the Revenge
Tie Yana maintained her outstanding record in the Women’s event at the LIEBHERR World Team Table Tennis Championships in Dortmund on Saturday 30th March 2012. However, in the Quarterfinals, there was no stopping China. In the second match of the fixture, Tie Yana accounted for Li Xiaoxia to complete her seven days’ work in the Westfalenhallen. She has been the mainstay of Hong Kong’s bronze medal winning performance.
Singapore will defend its title against China tomorrow. The reigning world champions have advanced with a 3-2 win against Korea Republic. There was great suspense, just as it was the previous day against Germany.
Zhou Shusen, the Singaporean coach, explained: “Feng Tianwei was the backbone of our team, and she played very well. Kim Kyung Ah’s style of playing was unknown to us, therefore we could not adjust our tactics to her playing style. Wang Yuegu had in the deciding match persistently counteracted although she was always behind in those three sets.”
“We have a very slim chance of winning against China, I roughly estimate under one per cent”, predicted Zhou Shusen. However we will try our very best.”
Women’s Teams Championship Division
Saturday 31 March 2012: Semi-finals Results
China – Hong Kong: 3-1
Korea Republic – Singapore: 2-3
Sunday 1 April 2012: Finals
04.00 pm: China – Singapore
Ukraine and Romania reached the top 2 places of the second division. Ukraine defeated Brazil 3-1 and Romania 3-1. They now get tickets to join the first division in the 2014 World Team Table Tennis Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
The women’s draw was also completed on Saturday in Westfalenhallen, Dortmund. Luxemburg and Australia will have access to the first division. Australia topped the division after defeating Luxemburg3-1. India and Italy narrowly missed the accession when they did not make the top two of their division.
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