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SHANGHAI, May 2: China’s table tennis paddlers showed that they are the team to beat at the 48th world table tennis championship, as the star studded group easily won all its first round matches here on Sunday. Tournament favourite Wang Liqin, world No 1, easily dispatched Achanta Sharath Kamal of India 11-8, 11-8, 11-5, 9-11, 11-8.
The athletic and powerful Chinese faltered momentarily in the fourth set against a spirited Kamal, who fought bravely but was outclassed against the 2001 world champion. Chen Qi downed Spaniard Carlos Machado 14-12, 11-7, 11-2, 11-7 and Kong Linghui, ranked 12, easily handled Slovak Peter Sereda 11-4, 11-8, 11-4, 11-5.
In other men’s matches Vladimir Samsonov of Belarussia came back from a first set loss to easily oust Artur Grigoryev of Russia 7-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-7, 11-3. Werner Schlager of Austria defeated Russian Kirill Skachov 11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 2-11, 11-5, 11-9.
The equally talented Chinese women’s side had an easy time of it with Zhang Yining getting to a quick start over her slower Colombian opponent, Paula Medina, cruising to victory 11-2, 11-5, 11-5, 11-4.
RESULTS
Men: Wang Liqin (CHN ) bt Achanta Sharath Kamal (IND) 11-8, 11-8, 11-5, 9-11, 11-8; Chen Weixing (AUT) bt Hugo Hoyama (BRA) 11-4, 11-4, 11-5, 11-2; Kong Linghui (CHN) bt Peter Sereda (SVK) 11-4, 11-8, 11-4, 11-5; Kaii Yoshida (JPN) bt Christophe Bertin (FRA) 11-7, 11-5, 11-4, 11-7; Werner Schlager (AUT ) bt Kirill Skachov (RUS) 11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 2-11, 11-5, 11-9; Vladimir Samsonov (BLR) bt Artur Grigoryev (RUS) 7-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-7, 11-3; Chen Qi (CHN ) CHN 4 14 11 11 11 Carlos Machado (ESP) 14-12, 11-7, 11-2, 11-7; Jorg ROSSKOPF (GER) bt Ri Chol Guk (PRK) 11-7, 11-3, 11-4, 11-9; Li Ching HKG 4 11 11 11 13 bt Srdan Milicevic (BIH) 11-4, 11-7, 11-8, 13-11; Trinko Keen (NED) bt Pablo Tabachnik (ARG) 11-6, 11-0, 11-3, 11-7; Ko Lai Chak (HKG) bt El-Sayed Lashin (EGY) 11-4, 11-5, 11-5, 11-7; Chuan Chih-Yuan (TPE ) bt Andrei Filimon (ROU) 11-8, 6-11, 8-11, 14-12, 11-5, 11-7
Women: Zhang Yining (CHN) bt Paula Median (COL) 11-2, 11-5, 11-5, 11-4; Zhang Rui (HKG) bt Lee I-Chen (TPE) 11-8, 11-6, 11-5, 11-2; Cornelia Vaida (HRV) bt Santi Fibriyani (INA) 11-8, 11-8, 6-11, 9-11, 11-8; YAN Chimei (SMR) bt Li Yun Fei (BEL) 5-11, 6-11, 13-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7; Sara Ramirez (ESP) bt 12 11 8 11 12 15 bt Peter Fazekas (HUN) 12-10, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 12-14, 15-13; Kim Hyang Mi (PRK) bt Tawny Banh Thua (USA) 11-7, 12-10, 11-9, 11-4; Veronika Pavlovich (BLR) bt Fabiola Ramos (VEN) 11-4, 11-3, 11-13, 11-8, 11-7; Cao Zhen (CHN) bt Elena Kovtun (UKR) 11-6, 11-1,11-5, 11-3; Aya Umemura (JPN) bt Lee Fong Beh (MAS) 11-4, 11-9, 11-5, 10-12, 11,4; Tamara Boros (HRV ) bt Veronika Heine (AUT) 11-4,11-7,11-6, 11-6; Andreja Bakula (HRV) bt Li Qiangbing (AUT) 11-9, 6-11, 8-11, 11-3, 5-11, 11-7, 11-9; Kim Jong (PRK) bt Iizzwah Medina (HON) 11-6, 11-2, 11-7, 11-6, Tie Yana (HKG ) bt LEE Jacqueline USA 11-2, 11-5, 11-3, 9-11, 11-6; Zhang Xueling (CHN) bt Chris Xu (SIN) 11-8, 11-7, 11-4 11-4; Wenling Tan Monfardini (ITA) bt Yildiz Meral Ali (TUR) 11-9, 11-1, 11-4, 11-2; Svetlana Ganina (RUS) bt Maria
Mirou (GRE) 9-11, 11-6, 11-3, 12-10, 11-7; Ruta Budiene-Garkauskaite (LTU) Chiu Soo Jin (MAS) 11-5 11-5 11-9, 11-7; Pan Li-Chun (TPE) bt Tanja Hain-Hofmann (GER) 2-11, 11-13, 11-4, 7-11, 15-13, 11-5, 11-4; Lin Ling (HKG) bt Elena Mocrosousov (MDA) 11-8, 11-7, 12-10, 11-8; Xu Yan (SIN) bt Joana Goncalves (POR) 11-8, 11-3, 11-5, 11-2.—AFP
