China demonstrated its power in world table tennis by dominating matters in five days of high class table tennis in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, a city which thanks to Zhang Guangning is table tennis crazy.

He is the Mayor of the city and loves table tennis; in 2008 Guangzhou hosted the Evergrande Real Estate World Team Championships, in 2009 it was the home for the Asian Cup and the Volkswagen Women’s World Cup; whilst in 2010 there is a trilogy of events.

The Evergrande Real Estate Asian Cup was staged from Friday 26th to Sunday 28th March being immediately followed by the Volkswagen Cup-Guangzhou. Meanwhile in November, Guangzhou hosts the Asian Games with table tennis a major sport.

Star of the Show

Star of the five days of table tennis in March was 18 year old Liu Shiwen, the local girl.

Born in the north of China in Liaoning Province she moved to live in Guangzhou at the age of eight when her coach moved to the city.

Adored by the crowd she never lost a match, “Jia You Liu Shiwen, Jia You” echoed around the Guangzhou Gymnasium as she repaid the faithful for their support.

In the latter stages of the Evergrande Real Estate Asian Cup she beat Chinese Taipei’s much improved Huang Yi-Hua before accounting for Korea’s Seok Ha Jung and Chinese national team colleague, Ding Ning in the final.

She was irrepressible and it was the same in the Volkswagen Cup – Guangzhou.

At the quarter-final stage she defeated Austria’s Liu Jia before overcoming Korea’s Kim Kyung Ah and Singapore’s Feng Tianwei to claim the top prize of US$50,000 and a Volkswagen Tiguan Saloon car.

Meanwhile, in the Men’s Singles event as in the Women’s Singles it was China’s new generation that succeeded.

New Generation

Zhang Jike, just 22 years old won the Men’s Singles title at the Evergrande Real Estate Asian Cup; after suffering an unexpected defeat in the group stage of proceedings against Hong Kong’s Ko Lai Chak, he then dominated proceedings beating compatriots Ma Lin and Xu Xin before overcoming Singapore’s Gao Ning in the final.

Success for Zhang Jike and in the Volkswagen Cup – Guangzhou it was victory for Ma Long, the current world ranked no.1 male player was simply unstoppable as he plundered his way to victory beating Austria’s Werner Schlager, Denmark’s Michael Maze and surprise finalist Korea’s Joo Se Hyuk.

The Korean defender delighted the crowds beating Germany’s Timo Boll in the quarter-finals followed by Japan’s Jun Mizutani who earlier had defeated Vladimir Samonov of Belarus.

In eleven meetings it was the first time Joo Se Hyuk had beaten Timo Boll, the first time, Jun Mizutani had beaten Vladimir Samsonov and on their one previous meeting, Joo Se Hyuk had lost to Jun Mizutani.

Such is sport but one fact was clear; China was ahead of the field, well ahead.