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GUANGZHOU: China moved in for the kill at the world
team table tennis championships here Friday, slaying Hong Kong 3-0
to reach the women’s final.
China, boasting the world’s top
five players, proved too powerful for Hong Kong whose paddlers
offered little resistance in a lackluster semifinal.
Hong Kong’s Jiang Hua Jan, who
moved from China to play for Hong Kong in 2005, staged a fight in
the opener, taking one set off Guo Yue, before the world champion
steadied to wrap up the match.
China coach Shi Zhihao said he
was satisfied with the performance of his charges and singled out
Singapore as their toughest opponents.
China, undefeated at the worlds
since 1993, will face the winner between Japan and Singapore.
Hong Kong coach Li Huifen said
although she was not making excuses, her team had been unlucky at
the worlds, placed in a tough grouping that left her players
exhausted by the time they faced China.
“We are very unlucky to face
China in the semis, if it was another team then we would probably
have advanced to the finals,” said Li.
China is using this tournament as
a warm-up for the Beijing Olympics this year when they are expected
to sweep up the golds on offer.
--AFP
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