Chiang Peng-Lung Ousts Olympic Champion KongChiang Peng-lung of Chinese Taipei ousted China's Sydney Olympic champion Kong Linghui at the Pro Tour Grand Finals table tennis tournament in Yokohama, Japan on Friday, January 12.Chiang, who won the French Open in November, scored a 21-19, 17- 21, 21-17, 18-21, 21-17 victory in the men's singles quarter- finals. Chiang will take on Chinese Liu Guozheng, who came from behind to beat Werner Schlager of Austria 17-21, 21-14, 21-12, 22-20, on Saturday. The other semi-final match will be played between World Cup holder Ma Lin and 1999 Pro Tour Final winner Wang Liqin. Ma outclassed struggling world champion and Atlanta Olympic gold medallist Liu Guoliang 21-18, 21-10, 21-12, while Wang edged past Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus 21-17, 18-21, 21-14, 11-21, 21- 19. Earlier in the day, South Korea's Kim Taek-Soo and Oh Sung-Eun eliminated Chinese world champions Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui in the doubles quarter-finals with a 21-19, 21-18, 21-19 win. At the same time, Tamara Boros of Croatia became the only European to remain in the four fields as she outclassed China's Sun Jin 15-21, 22-20, 21-14, 21-14 in the women's singles. But China secured the other six semi-final places with women's Olympic champion Wang Nan spearheading the Chinese onslaught, beating Toth Kriszina of Hungary for a 21-16, 21-12, 21-14. Wang now faces Yang Ying, who struggled past spirited Ryu Ji-Hye of South Korea 21-23, 9-21, 21-19, 21-19, 21-15, on Saturday. Tamara will take on Zhang Yining, the winner over Olympic silver medallist Li Ju 21-9, 21-11, 22-20 in an all-Chinese match. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |