Liu Guozheng's
forehand. In early afternoon today, China defeated Yugoslavia 3-0 to advance to the next round as group winner. To make sure that all the team players have a chance to warm up, China sent Ma Lin and Liu Guozheng, in addition to Kong Linghui. So all 5 players have now appeared. In the first match Ma faced Grujic. He won the first game at 16, then lost the second at 19. In the third, Ma easily pulled away to a 21-7 victory. In the 2nd match, Liu Guozheng faced Karakasevic, who is best known for taking out Liu Guoliang in the 1997 Worlds. Today Karakasevic played fast and relaxed, and quickly won the first match 21-14. Then Liu adjusted the tempo, mixing the speeds of his play, and not passively followed his opponent's pace. He gained control of the match, and won the second game at 10. In the third game. Liu did not give Karakasevic any chance, and won 21-9. The final match was played by Kong and Markovic, and Kong handily won at 17 and 10. So China won the tie 3-0 and the group to advance to the next round.
After the match, Cai said that overall the team played at a
normal level. The weaker opponents allowed the team members to
adjust their mental states. But he is not very satisfied with the
players' performances so far; they should have played even
better.
The ITTF seems to be in a mood for changes. After the bigger ball was adopted, the proposals to change service rules and institute the 11-point game will be voted on today and tomorrow. The proposal to limit Olympics representation is not on the ballot list this time.
The service rule change proposal has been brought up many times in the past, but has failed to pass. This is being decided again, and the table-tennis experts seem to think that it has little chance of being passed, "Because it is very difficult to establish an objective perspective to determine whether a serve is legal or not". If the service rule change is passed, it will be a severe blow to the top players. Waldner said, "I do not know what they are thinking. The game has not changed for 40 years, and now the changes are coming so rapidly. I hope our sport can develop in a healthy direction". He said that if the service becomes limited, he has no choice but to retire. Another Swedish player Karlsson put it even more bluntly: "The big ball does not have a huge impact on the Europeans. But limiting serves is a very stupid idea. It will be a disaster if it gets passed". ITTF chief Shahara does not, however, care what some people say. In the just-concluded planetary sessions, he said "The ball may get even bigger. It is now 40 mm, but can get to 42 mm or 45 mm. Table tennis needs to grow as a sport".
The 11-point game proposal has a better chance to pass. This
is strictly a change based on marketing perspectives, and it is
hard at this point to see what impacts it will have on the
players. The ITTF also has to decide which country will host the
next Worlds, whether it will be France or Brazil.
The final draw for the men's team event is set. Here are the positions:
1. Sweden
2. (empty)
3. Greece
4. Hong Kong
5. Austria
6. N. Korea
7. (empty)
8. Chinese Taipei
9. Belgium
10. (empty)
11. Norway
12. Yugoslavia
13. Italy
14. Spain
15. (empty)
16. Japan
17. France
18. (empty)
19. Slovakia
20. Belarus
21. Czechoslovakia
22. England
23. (empty)
24. S. Korea
25. Germany
26. (empty)
27. Poland
28. Hungary
29. Holland
30. Croatia
31. (empty)
32. China
The winners of the groups in 1st division will receive a first-round bye. China will play the winner of the Croatia-Holland match. Its next opponent, assuming it wins, will be probably Germany. It will not face Sweden until the finals, if both teams make it to the last round.
(Chung's notes: The strong teams appear to be China,
Sweden, Germany, France, S. Korea, Japan, Belgium and Taipei. A
good bet to see China to play France in the semi-final. Japan and
Sweden may be on a collision course, but Taipei can play the
upset role against Sweden.)
Men's singles draw for the final round is out. Here are the 32 seeded players and their positions in the 128-player bracket. (Position 1 plays 2, and so on. Top seed is in position 1, 2nd seed is position 128.)
1. Wang Liqin
8. Blaszczyk
9. Gatien
16. Persson
17. Kim Taek Soo
24. Yan Sen
25. Yang Min
32. Primorac
33. Liu Guoliang
40. Kreanga
41. Iseki, Seiko
48. Legout
49. Karlsson
54. Boll
55. Heister
64. Chiang Peng-Lung
65. Ma Lin
72. Korbel
73. Eloi
80. Rosskopf
81. Schlager
88. Oh Sang Eun
89. Tasaki
96. Liu Guozheng
97. Samsonov
104. Matsushita
105. Chuang Chi-Yuan
112. Waldner
113. Saive
120. Chila
121. Ryu Seung Min
128. Kong Linghui
(Chung's notes: Unfortunately for Samsonov and Waldner,
they are in the same 1/8, so only one of them can get into the
quarter-finals. Wang Liqin will probably play Persson or Gatien
in the round of 16. Kim has to beat Yan Sen to get to the final
16, but he is probably favored because he has done well against
Yan in the Japanese Pro Circuit. Kim's next opponent will be the
very tough Primorac, who has beaten Kim quite regularly lately.
Liu Guolaing is in the same 1/4 as Chiang Peng Lung, and it will
be a very interesting match if they could meet in the semis. Good
for Chiang that his nemesis is in the bottom half. Liu Guozheng
has a smooth path to the 1/8's, having beaten Schlager very
convincingly last year. The last quarter has Kong, Waldner, Saive
and Kong, and I expect to see Kong make it to the semis.)
Kong Linghui forehand-looping.
Ryu Ji Hyeback hand-countering.
Kong preparing his rubber and Liu warming up
Liu Guozheng's
forehand.
Cai coaching Ma.
Sports Centre
Entrance
The women's team draw for the final round is up. Here are the positions:
1. China. 3. USA. 4. Germany. 5. Yugoslavia. 6. Belgium. 8. Hungary. 9. Japan. 11. Thailand. 12. Czechoslovakia. 13. Croatia. 14. Greece. 16. Romania.
17. S. Korea. 19. Austria. 20. Russia. 21. Canada. 22. Malaysia. 24. Singapore. 25. N. Korea. 27. Luxembourg. 28. Belarus. 29. Hong Kong. 30. Sweden. 32. Chinese Taipei.
(Chung's notes: China should win its half easily. Bottom
half is between S. Korea, N. Korea, Singapore and Taipei. I favor
S. Korea slightly.)
In the top half: Wang Nan, Li Nan, Nu Jianfeng, and Zhang Yining from China. In the bottom half: Lin Ling, Yang Ying, and Li Ju from China.
Main opponents to the Chinese: Top half: Tong Fei-Ming,
Badescu, Boros, Li Jia Wei, Ryu, Bartofi and Suk Bottom half:
Chen Jing, Lee Eun Sil, Jun Jing Hong, Steff, Toth, Takada and
Kim Mo Kyu.