Jaipur, March 15, 2015: China’s Xu Xin taught quite a few
invaluable lessons, particularly how to rise from the dumps, to his 18-year-old
compatriot Fan Zhendong to emerge a 4-3 winner in the men’s singles of
the GAC Group 28th Asian Cup Table Tennis 2015 at the SMS Indoor Stadium here
on Sunday. The win was worth $14,000 and as, runner-up, Fan received $ 7,000.
But it was the women’s singles which aroused greater
interest when Singapore ’s
Feng Tianwei denied three-time champion Chinese Liu Shiwen her foruth time in a
thrilling final with a 4-2 verdict.
In the men’s final, left proved right yet again and the
finer tips that Fan must have picked up from Xu must do a lot of good to the
youngster, who was meeting him a second time in a final after the Incheon Asian
Games last year.
None would have given an iota of chance as Xu was down and
out at 1-3 with Fan just a game away from his maiden title. However, in the
fifth game things changed dramatically. Taking timeout at 6-5, Xu returned to
the court with all calmness and from there he took on. After that Xu’s
different strokes spoke and Fan, until then using the flanks very well, had
little answers to his senior partner.
It was a sheer treat to watch left-handed Xu unleash
expansive forehand drives with his rare penhold grip and more often than not,
those powerful strokes were irretrievable. Fan, to his credit, despite having a
repertoire of shots and successfully executing his down-the-line backhand
winners, Xu had taken control of the match.
“I think I took it a bit easy after winning the first game.
It is never easy playing Fan or, for that matter, the Chinese opponents. Since
it had become too close for comfort, I told myself that I should enjoy. That
was what I set down to do and it paid off,” he said. But he did admit that this
match was tougher than the Asian Games final.
Coming back to the women’s final, it was equally absorbing
but the Singaporean played a percentage game that saw her stand on top of the
podium. For strange reasons, Liu was rendered immobile against some of the
shots that Feng unleashed on her. The 28-year-old and world No. 4 was
particularly harsh on her third-ranked rival in the fifth game where she
allowed Liu a solitary point. But closing out the match would have been a lot
tougher for Feng had she not fought back from 1-6 down to seal the sixth game
and with that, the title.
Mizutani, Yuling finish third
Zhu Yuling, the No.4 seed, opened proceedings accounting for
Japan ’s
Ai Fukuhara, the No.6 seed 11-8, 7-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-7. She was followed at
the showcourt by Jun Mizutani who asserted his authority over Hong
Kong ’s Tang Peng, dismissing him in four straight games of 11-4,
11-6, 11-9, 11-8.
Right handed, powerful from the forehand and quick from the
backhand, the side of the racket on which he uses short pimpled rubber, Tang is
a player of high calibre but it is a style which suits the left handed top spin
skills of Jun Mizutani.Heavy top spin strokes early in the rally, as opposed to
speed, reaped dividend for Jun Mizutani; in the third game there was a glimmer
of hope for Tang Peng as he established a 9-7 lead but the light was soon
extinguished. Jun Mizutani won the next four points and the writing on the wall
was clear and loud.
Similarly, the consistency of Zhu Yuling prevailed with Ai
Fukuhara missing an opportunity in the third game after the opening two games
had been shared. She led 10-8 and Yuling saved both game points, before winning
the next two to turn what appeared to be a two games to nil deficit turning
into a two games to one advantage. One game later Ai Fukuhara kept parity until
the latter stages when a string of errant forehands saw possible success
disappear.
The Results:
Men singles: Final: Xu Xin (Chn) bt Fan Zhengdong (Chn)
4-3 (11-8, 11-13, 11-13, 5-11, 118, 11-4, 11-7).
Third-place playoff: Jun Mizutani (Jpn) bt Peng Tang
(Hkg) 4-0 (11-4, 11-6, 11-9, 11-8).
Women singles: Final: Feng Tianwei (Sin) bt Liu Shiwen
(Chn) 4-2 (3-11, 11-8, 11-9, 7-11, 11-1, 12-10).
Third-place playoff: Zhu Yuling (Chn) bt Ai Fukuhara (Jpn)
4-1 (11-8, 7-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-9).
A TTFI Press release
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