Shanghai Daily news

Flowers, fireworks and the usual variety show raised the curtains on yet another festival of table tennis in Shanghai on Saturday. And the city is making an all-out effort to ensure it is an event to remember.
After Wu Bangguo, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress, declared open the 48th World Table Tennis Championships at a ceremony held at the foot of Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower, 574 players from 140 countries and regions yesterday began battle for the five titles at the weeklong tournament.
During the 45-minute ceremony on Saturday, Shanghai organizers embellished the significant yet brawnless sport of ping pong, China's favorite, with pleasing music, colorful dances and dazzling fireworks.
While Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng welcomed the players, Adham Sharara, president of the International Table Tennis Federation, proclaimed, "Everyone here is a winner."
Sharara, a 52-year-old Canadian, was re-elected as table tennis chief yesterday. He was the only candidate for the election held on the sidelines of the tournament, which is being held at the Shanghai Grand Stage.
For Shanghai, the success of this year's championship will square with its image of being the cradle of China's ping pong. Among the nation's 90 world champions since Rong Guotuan's first-ever victory in 1959, 16 are from the city.
Not surprisingly, the host nation, with its powerful contingent of players, is eying a sweep of all five gold medals - men's singles and doubles, women's singles and doubles and mixed doubles.
And local fans are pinning their hopes on Shanghai player Wang Liqin - the current world No. 1 in men's singles and No. 2 in doubles paired with Jiangsu native Yan Sen.
Yesterday, Wang began with a flourish, making short work of Kamal Achanta Sharath of India 4-1 in the first round of the men's singles. The Yan-Wang pairing also advanced, beating Indonesia's David Jacobs and Mardiono Yon 4-3.
Other Chinese players all won easily yesterday but former world champions Jan-Ove Waldner and Jorgen Persson from Sweden narrowly escaped an early exit, edging Czech duo Klasek Marek and Kostal Radek 4-3.
Also yesterday, Guangzhou, capital of southern Guangdong Province, won the right to host the next World Table Tennis Team Championships in 2008.