South Korean Pair, Wang Nan Win Titles at Pro Tour Finals

Home>>Sports

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, January 13, 2002

South Korean Pair, Wang Nan Win Titles at Pro Tour Finals

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

South Korea's Kim Taek Soo and Oh Sang Eun took a sweet victory in the men's doubles final while Chinese Wang Nan won a no-suspense women's singles title at the 2001 ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals Saturday in Tianjin.

Kim/Oh, who lost in a very close final to Chinese's Wang Liqin/Yan Sen last year, trounced Chinese Hong Kong's Cheung Yuk and Leung Chu-Yan 4-1 (13-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-3, 11-9) although the seventh-ranked Hong Kong pair were cheered up by local fans.

Kim/Oh, the top favorites after the Chinese duo were tumbled out in the first round, said they were happy for the title but felt more pressure to the no-hide service rule which will be in effect on September 1.

"We will practice more with the no-hide serve before the Asian Games in late September," Kim said.

The No. 3 South Korean duo crushed the top ranked Germans Timo Boll/Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth 4-1 in the semifinals.

In an all-Chinese final, Olympic and world champion Wang Nan was too strong for Niu Jianfeng, winning the women's singles title 4-2 (11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-1)

Wang, 23, the most popular Chinese women player since the all-time great Deng Yaping retired, left no chance to Niu, gold medalist in singles and doubles in U.S. Open last year.

Wang said: "The victory will push me to play better in the future competitions. I am the oldest in the national team, but I don't think I'm old. I hope I can win more gold medals."

The finals of the men's singles and women's doubles will take place on Sunday.

ITTF Plans to Replace Doubles with Team in 2008 Olympics

First Day at ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals Sees Several Stars Knocked out