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Kong Bids Adieu to Swedes
Kong Linghui said he wouldn't have a chance for a rematch with Sweden after China won their 13th men's team title of the World Table Tennis Championships Sunday in Osaka.
"I feel sorry for Sweden. I don't think Jan-Ove Waldner and Jorgen Persson will be in the 2004 world championships," said the reigning Olympic champion.
"The two Swedish veterans will very likely retire after this championships," added Kong, who witnessed in agony his team dethroned by Sweden in the 2000 world championship final.
Waldner, a table tennis all-time great best known for his deceptive serves, had threatened to quit the sport if the International Table Tennis Federation approved an overhaul of service rules.
ITTF on Thursday decided to outlaw certain types of serve, to make serves less effective and thus ensure longer rallies.
The Chinese men who survived Saturday's scare prevented a further big scalp for Belgium, winning 3-0 in the men's team final.
World third-ranked Ma Lin, who scored a crucial point in his side's 3-2 win over South Korea on Saturday, beat Belgian former world top player Jean-Michel Saive 18-21, 21-7, 21-15 in the first match.
World number five Liu Guozheng, who salvaged seven match points en route to sealing the Chinese semifinal, put China two up by beating Jean-Philippe Saive 21-18, 21-17.
The Saive brothers pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament on Saturday, upsetting defending champions Sweden 3-1.
World number two Kong Linghui amended his two losses to South Koreans Saturday, wrapping up China's 3-0 tally with a 21-18, 21- 19 win over Martin Bratanov.
Both Jean-Michel Saive and his Chinese coach Wang Dayong were philosophical at their defeat.
"Chinese are much better than us," said Jean-Michel Saive. "But if I had won the first match to make it 1-0, China would have been afraid and might have cracked under pressure."
"They are much stronger than us. China's win is normal and that 's sports," said Wang.
Chinese head coach Cai Zhenhua said Ma put China on the winning track.
"Ma came back strongly to win the first match. This point is crucial. He put China on the winning road," said Cai.
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