August 23, 2008	Saturday	Sha'aban 20, 1429

BEIJING, Aug 22: China’s three table tennis giants powered on Friday into the men’s singles semi-finals with only Swedish veteran Jorgen Persson standing in their way of gold.

World number one Wang Hao led the Chinese charge for glory, defeating Hong Kong’s Ko Lai Chak 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7 11-9 in their quarter-final, as he guns for his first gold after losing the final in Athens four years ago.

China, where table tennis is the national sport, are aiming for a clean sweep of all four golds in the tournament after the coveted men’s crown was the only title they failed to win in Athens.

Known as Hurricane Hao, the 24-year-old now plays Sweden’s former world champion Persson after he defeated Croatia’s Zoran Primorac in their quarter-final clash of the veterans.

Persson, 42, and Primorac, 39, who have both competed at every Olympics since table tennis was included at the 1988 Games, played a series of lengthy rallies in front of a cheering crowd before the Swede emerged with a 4-1 win.

“This is the biggest match we’ve played with each other and it was a fair and good match. We both have great respect for each other,” said Persson, who won 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 14-12, 11-9.

Persson, gunning for his first medal at probably his last Olympics, said breaking down China’s Great Wall to reach the final on Saturday would be extremely tough.

“Yes it is a difficult wall. It’s the Great Wall. But look at the history of the Olympics. In the five gold medals [won in men’s singles], two are Chinese, two are Korean and one is Sweden. So they are strong, but it’s breakable. It’s difficult but possible.”

Persson has powered on here as Europe’s higher ranked and younger paddlers, including Germany’s star Timo Boll and world number five Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus, have crashed out of these Olympics.

China’s third seed Wang Liqin eased past Tan Ruiwu 11-7, 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 in their quarter-final, and later conceded he didn’t get much of a workout against the Croatian, ranked just 43 in the world.

“Overall I played okay. I don’t think I played to my full capabilities. My opponent did not put up much of a fight, so he did not pose any threats to me.

It was an easy win,” the three-time world champion said.

Wang takes on teammate, four-time World Cup winner and second seed Ma Lin, after he thumped South Korea’s last hope Oh Sang Eun in their quarter-final 11-3, 11-5, 11-9, 12-10.

South Korea’s defending champion Ryu Seung Min was dumped from the tournament in a shock upset in his first match by Hong Kong’s Ko.—AFP