China's Zhang, Wang to fight for women's singles gold in Olympic table tennis
22/8/2008 17:49
China's table tennis veteran Wang Nan beat her higher-ranked teammate Guo
Yue 4-2 in the Olympic women's singles competition in Beijing today, setting up
an all-Chinese final with defending gold medalist Zhang Yining.
Wang, known
as the "Big Sister" in the national team, fought off world champion Guo 3-11,
11-8, 4-11, 11-7, 11-3 and 11-6 in the semifinal, though the 30-year-old had
never beaten Guo in the last two years except in the 2007 Japan Open.
Wang
said earlier this year that an Olympic appearance at home and even a gold medal
would be the perfect way to wrap up her career. She is the sport's most
decorated player, with more than 20 world titles.
After winning her fourth
Olympic gold five days ago in the team event, the Grand Slam veteran showed no
signs of slowing down in her drive for another medal in the singles. Her fans
cheered her on and her husband watched her play from the stands.
Wang told
the reporters:"I was in control of the whole match and Guo was not calm enough
when the match was tied at 2-2."
"I experienced ups and downs in my career,
but I rose to every challenge and held out till today. I'm very satisfied about
reaching the final," she said.
Guo said that "I was prepared for possible
difficulties and played well in the first four games. But I lost for the lack of
experience."
Earlier in the day, world number one Zhang Yining also stormed
into the final, beating former schoolmate Li Jia Wei of Singapore 9-11, 11-8,
12-10, 11-8 and 11-5.
"I think Li fought really hard today. She has
participated in three Olympic Games, so she is actually more experienced than me
in international competitions," Zhang said.
"But I knew I would win once I
got over the first game," she said. "The final won't be easy because teammates
know each other very well."
Li believed she played very well, adding:"It's an
achievement for me to finish in the top four while the other three are all
Chinese players."
Both Zhang and Li were born in Beijing in 1981. They
attended the same school in the Chinese capital between 1986-96.
Li went to
Singapore in 1996 under the foreign recruitment scheme of the Singapore Table
Tennis Association, and gained Singaporean citizenship in 1999.
Li will meet
Guo in the bronze medal contest later today.
Xinhua
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