2014 Decider Kicks off 2015 World Tour Grand Finals

The world’s best table tennis stars have gathered in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon in preparation for the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals which starts today 10 December and runs until 13 December 2015.

Finalists at the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour last year in Bangkok, Europe’s top player Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (GER) and Jun MIZUTANI (JPN) are set to an early face-off in the first round of the Men’s Singles event. MIZUTANI claimed the title eventually in Bangkok, but at their latest encounter at the Liebherr 2015 ITTF Men’s World Cup, it was OVTCHAROV who prevailed.

“It’s a very hard draw for the both of us,” shared OVTCHAROV after the draw ceremony. “We have played seven times in the last 12 months, of which I won four times, but he has won three out of the four times we played at major international tournaments, so the results is going to be very open.”

The 27-year-old German added “Often the one with the better start wins, but the scores will be very close. I will of course try my very best to win this!”

Local hero Marcos FREITAS (POR) has the toughest draw out of everyone, with the European Championships runner up facing world number one and World Champion MA Long in the first round.

The fans could also expect a matchup between the reigning World Champion DING Ning and newly crowned 2015 Female Table Tennis Star LIU Shiwen in the Women’s Singles event. The duo last played internationally at the epic gold medal match at the 2015 World Championships, where DING overcame her injury in the decider to take her second World Championships title.

2014 Finallists Ovtcharov & Mizutani will face off in the first round here in Lisbon

The GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour is the year-ending finale to the US$3,000,000 ITTF World Tour, whereby the top 16 singles and 8 doubles pairs qualified through collecting #Race2Lisbon points throughout the 2015 ITTF World Tour.

The GAC 2015 ITTF World Tour is split into three tiers (highest first): Super (6 events), Major (6 events), Challenge (11 events). The higher the series, the more prize money, world ranking points, Race to Lisbon points and higher quality of competition on offer.

Zhang Jike Wins ITTF Men’s World Cup Amid Controversy

ITTF

China’s ZHANG Jike has won the LIEBHERR 2014 Men’s World Cup in the most dramatic fashion in Dusseldorf, Germany.

The World and Olympic Champion defeated his teammate and good friend MA Long 8-11, 11-4, 13-11, 7-11, 2-11, 11-5, 12-10 to clinch his second World Cup crown.

The match was of the highest quality, with ZHANG Jike fighting back from 3 games to 2 down to show the world why he is the World and Olympic champion, overcoming MA Long who has been unbeaten in 2014.

The 26-year-old has been heavily criticized for his performances on the international stage since he won the World Championships in 2013, and this was the sweetest way to prove himself:

“This was a perfect victory. I have been on a lot of pressure, with people questioning my form. I am now very satisfied and very relieved. I would like to congratulate MA Long on an amazing final. We really put on a table tennis exhibition.”

The amazing victory was overshadowed by his exuberant celebration, which he kicked through the sponsorship barriers surrounding the court. As punishment, the competition jury decided to strip him of his $45,000 prize money.

An emotional ZHANG Jike after claiming the Men’s World Cup. Photo credit: Ina Fassbender/ITTF

On the incident, ZHANG Zike said the following: “I am very sorry for what I did, it was not acceptable behavior and I am sorry.”

The capacity crowd at the ISS Dome was not only treated to a breathtaking master class between the Chinese champions, but also a local third place winner. Former world number one Timo BOLL (GER) defeated Jun MIZUTANI (JPN) in the battle for third position 2-11, 11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 11-2, 11-9.

After the win, the 33-year-old stated: “After the scarce and hard defeat in the semi-finals it was very hard for me to keep up the concentration for the 3rd place match. However, I was playing well and I’m glad that I’m so close to the Chinese, it only missing little things. Against Mizutani it was important that I often made the important “small points”. It was good that the crowd was behind me after the lost first set. That really motivated me again.”

The eventful final day capped off a memorable LIEBHERR 2014 Men’s World Cup, which will always be remembered for the amazing run of Nigerian Aruna QUADRI to the quarter finals (more info: http://bit.ly/10rWvHE).

The International Table Tennis focus now turns back to the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour, which continues at the Russian Open on 5-9 November 2014.

Record for Youngest Winner of ITTF World Tour Broken for Third Time in 12 Months

China’s YU Ziyang breaks record for youngest men’s singles winner of ITTF World Tour.
Photo by: Tomo WATANABE / ITTF

16-year-old YU Ziyang of China has broken the record for youngest ever winner of a World Tour Title at 16 years and 30 days old, 254 days younger than previous record holder Japan’s SAMBE Kohei was when he won the 2014 Chile Open at 16 years and 284 days.

This is the third time the record has been broken in the last 12 months, when China’s FAN Zhendong won at 16 years 292 days at the 2013 German Open.

YU defeated world number eight and 2012 title holder, Japan’s MIZUTANI Jun, 4-2 (8-11, 11-4, 11-8, 6-11, 11-4, 11-8) in the Men’s Singles Final at the 2014 Japan Open, last of six Super Series events of the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour.

Playing in just his second World Tour, YU commented: “I had more confidence in myself after entering the quarterfinals in the Korea Open last week, and it helped me in this tournament.”

“Before coming to the Japan Open, my goal set was to enter the Quarterfinals and Semifinals. Of course I thought of winning the title, but I was really playing match by match, trying to do my best for each, and not thinking too much.”

Asked about being the youngest player to win a Men’s Singles Title in the World Tour’s 19-year-history, YU smiled: “I am happy, but to me, age is not really an important factor. The main point for me is to win!”

Upsets were abound in the Men’s Singles, as top seed CHUANG Chih-yuan (TPE) and defending champion SHIONO Masato (JPN) were knocked out in the first round of the Main Draw. This also marks the second year in a row that a qualifier has won the Japan Open.

Home ground advantage saw a strong performance by the Japanese team, with Japanese contenders in five out of six finals at the Japan Open, who eventually won three gold medals.

In the women’s singles, top seed FENG Tianwei of Singapore proved too strong for second seed Japan’s ISHIKAWA Kasumi, and the crowd was audibly disappointed as the Singaporean defeated ISHIKAWA 4-2 (12-10, 9-11, 3-11, 11-3, 11-5, 13-11).

World number five, FENG, who has two World Tour singles titles to her name this year having previously claimed the Philippines and Australian Open, said: “It was a tough and exciting match against Ishikawa. We have met several times before in international tournaments, and we both had wins and losses.”

“I think both of us gave our best efforts to perform well in the finals match, and we both did well. I am in good shape today, and am very happy with my win.”

KISHIKAWA Seiya and MIZUTANI Jun of Japan cruised to 3-0 (13-11,11-9,13-11) win over top seed CHIANG Hung-Chieh and HUANG Sheng-Sheng (TPE), taking a gold for Japan in the Men’s Doubles.

FUKUHARA Ai and WAKAMIYA Misako earned another gold for Japan in the Women’s Doubles, defeating FENG Tianwei and YU Mengyu of Singapore 3-2 (11-8, 11-6, 7-11, 13-11). The Japanese duo last played together at the 2013 German Open, where they lost in the finals, due to an injury keeping FUKUHARA out of the international scene.

On their comeback in Japan, national icon FUKUHARA commented: “We are very glad and happy to win in Japan, our home country! It was relaxing to play in front of a very supportive and large home crowd.”

“The key to our success was strong cooperation and our playing styles fit each other. We hope to be able to train more together, and become a stronger pair to be strong contenders at the 2014 Asian Games and 2015 World Team Table Tennis Championships.”

In the Under-21 Men’s Singles, Brazil’s CALDERANO Hugo lived up to expectations as top seed, defeating JANG Woojin of Korea Republic 4-2 (11-8, 12-10, 7-11, 15-13, 8-11, 11-8) just a day before his 18th birthday.

For the Under-21 Women’s Singles, 8th seed 18-year-old MORI Sakura (JPN), a member of the Japanese squad who won silver at the recent ZEN-NOH 2014 World Team Championships in Tokyo, delighted the home crowd with a 4-1 (11-6,11-1,12-10,5-11,11-6) upset over 2nd seed CHEN Szu-Yu (TPE).

MA Long Closes in on World Tour Record After Victory at China Open

MA Long (CHN) has moved closer to becoming the most successful ever ITTF World Tour player by clinching gold at the GAC Group 2014 World Tour Super Series China Open which concluded on 8 June 2014 in Chengdu, China.

The world number two defeated the world number one XU Xin (CHN) 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 11-4 to claim his 17th World Tour title, which is only six behind the legendary Vladimir SAMSONOV (BLR) who is on 23.

After his victory, the 24-year-old stated: I am very happy to win my 17th World Tour title, this means a lot. However I still have quite a few wins left if I am going to catch up to Samsonov’s record of 23.”

MA Long’s gold medal at the China Open moves him closer to the ITTF World Tour record.
Photo credit: ITTF.

“I had a near-perfect event here, I would like to thank all my fans in Chengdu who came out and supported me, it meant a lot.”

DING Ning (CHN) broke her drought of never winning the China Open by defeating world number one and team mate LIU Shiwen (CHN) 11-6, 5-11, 11-8, 11-7, 4-11, 2-11, 11-2 in the women’s singles final in front of a capacity crowd at the Sichuan Province Gymnasium.

“I am satisfied with my performance here in Chengdu, I am very happy that I was finally able to win my home event, the China Open,” stated the 23 year old.

The story of the 17-year-old prodigy FAN Zhendong (CHN) continued in the men’s doubles as he teamed up with the singles champion MA Long (CHN) to win his first ever World Tour doubles gold.

The combination of FAN Zhendong and MA Long was too strong for XU Xin (CHN) and Olympic and World Champion ZHANG Jike (CHN) in an extremely entertaining final, defeating them 6-11, 11-4, 5-11, 11-4, 14-12.

A thrilled FAN, who shocked the world by winning the German Open last year as a 16-year-old, stated: “We did a good job in the final and played well with each other. It was an honour to play with MA Long. This is the first time I have won a world tour doubles title so it is exciting.”

Women’s singles champion DING Ning (CHN) teamed up with the woman she beat in the singles final, LIU Shiwen (CHN), to win gold in the women’s doubles.

The Chinese pair were simply too good for the young duo from Chinese Taipei CHENG I-Ching & HUANG Yi-Hua, winning 11-5, 11-4, 11-9.

Asuka MACHI (JPN) handled the pressure of his first under-21 final well as he upset the Philippines Open under-21 Champion CHEN Feng (SIN) 6-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-4, 2-11, 11-4, 11-7.

Australian Open under -21 winner, 13-year-old Mima ITO (JPN), had to settle for silver this time around, as she was comprehensively beaten by CHEN Szu-Yu (TPE) 7-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7.

The China Open was the 10th event out of 21 in the GAC Group 2014 ITTF World Tour. At each event, the players earn Race to Bangkok points to qualify them for the 1-million-dollar GAC Group 2014 World Tour Grand Finals to be held in Bangkok, Thailand on 11-14 December 2014.