Hao Shuai and Chen Meng Shock Winners

Suzhou – China, August 26, 2012: The host nation’s HAO Shuai and CHEN Meng were the surprise winners of the respective Men’s and Women’s Singles titles at the GAC GROUP 2012 ITTF World Tour Harmony China Open in Suzhou on Sunday 26th August.

HAO Shuai, the no.9 seed, overcame compatriot XU Xin, the no.1 seed, in the semi-finals before overcoming three times World champion, WANG Liqin, the no.4 seed in the final.

It was the first appearance of the year for HAO Shuai in the international arena; whilst for CHEN Meng, the reigning World Junior champion, it was her second success on the year.

In February she had won the Women’s Singles title on the GAC GROUP 2012 ITTF World Tour in Qatar; in Suzhou she overcame colleagues FAN Ying, the no.3 seed, in the penultimate round and LIU Shiwen, the no.1 seed, in the final.

The victory for CHEN Meng completed a most successful day; earlier in partnership with ZHU Yuling, the pair had won the Women’s Doubles title overcoming their team mates LI Xiaodan and ZHAO Yan in the final.

Again it was for CHEN Meng a second success of the year; in February the duo had been crowned champions GAC GROUP 2012 ITTF World Tour Kuwait Open.

Defeat in the final of the Men’s Singles event for WANG Liqin and semi-final sadness for XU Xin but in the Men’s Doubles event it was a different story; they clinched the top prize beating their Chinese colleagues, CHEN Qi and MA lin in the final.

Men’s Singles

Semi-Final: HAO Shuai (CHN) bt XU Xin (CHN) 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6

Semi-Final: WANG Liqin (CHN) bt MA Lin (CHN) 11-5, 11-7, 13-11, 9-11, 8-11, 12-14, 11-3

Final: HAO Shuai (CHN) bt WANG Liqin (CHN) 11-13, 7-11, 12-10, 12-10, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8

Women’s Singles

Semi-Final: LIU Shiwen (CHN) bt SHEN Yanfei (ESP) 11-3, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5

Semi-Final: CHEN Meng (CHN) bt FAN Ying (CHN) 13-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-8

Final: CHEN Meng (CHN) bt LIU Shiwen (CHN) 12-10, 7-11, 5-11, 11-9, 12-10, 8-11, 11-7

Men’s Doubles

Final: WANG Liqin / XU Xin (CHN) bt CHEN Qi / MA Lin (CHN) 6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 9-11, 11-2, 11-8

Women’s Doubles

Final: CHEN Meng / ZHU Yuling (CHN) bt LI Xiaodan / ZHAO Yan (CHN) 11-7, 14-12, 11-5, 11-4. —- ITTF/ Photo by Fan Shen