On Tuesday, Li Xiaoxia, Liu Shiwen and Ding Ning joined forces to defeat Germany and win the women’s team category.
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Rio de Janeiro, Aug 17: Even before the last bounce ended off the table at the Olympic women’s table tennis team final at the Rio Games, Kong Linghui, head coach of China, the eventual victor, has sent his thoughts to the Tokyo Games four years later.
China won handily over Germany, 3-0 in the gold medal match, and continued its dominance of the event which dates back all the way to 1988 when the sport was first introduced to the Olympics.
Unlike Li’s game, which was close at times, Liu Shiwen just absolutely dominated in the second singles match of the evening, 11-3, 11-5, 11-4. China won South Korea with 3:0.
Han’s defensive chopping style of play that proved so effective in earlier matches, including against Hong Kong, was nullified by Li’s ability to return with top spin. After splitting the opening two sets in tight contests, the Japanese duo flipped a switch, taking the third game in a rout at 11-1. “I allowed myself to be stifled by the opponent, so I felt very gloomy on court”, she said.
Ma needed just 20 minutes to beat Joo 3-0 (11-1, 11-4, 11-4).
“Jike was once in passive situation against Jeoung but he made an all-out effort and won the game through experience and stern mind”, he said. “It’s a result coming from the efforts of all coaches and players of China, retired or active now, in the past decades”, said Kong.
Jeoung led the fourth game 8-7, three points from a major upset, but Zhang, the individual silver medalist in Rio and the 2012 individual gold medal victor, refused to die.
“Going into the first match, I think I’d prepared adequately and gave everything (leading to my win)”.
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With a dominant victory from their women’s team on Tuesday night, China secured their third gold medal in as many events, and they will have a chance to earn a complete sweep of the gold medals tomorrow in the men’s team event, which would be their third consecutive sweep of the gold medals in the Olympics.
