May 27, 2007	Sunday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 10, 1428

ZAGREB, May 26: China made giant strides towards dominating the world table tennis championships here on Friday by winning one gold medal and preparing the ground for even more silverware.

World number two Wang Liqin was the star of the day, the Chinese teaming up with mixed doubles partner Guo Yue to beat compatriots Qiu Yike and Cao Zhen in the first semi-final.

They then beat fancied compatriots Ma Lin and Wang Nan in the final, emerging 13-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9, 9-11, 12-10 winners to secure China's first gold of the competition.

A victorious Wang then teamed up with Wang Hao in the men's doubles to outclass Taiwan pair Chang Yen-Shu and Chiang Peng-Lung.

That allowed them to set up a final date, this time against Chen Qi and Ma – who teamed up to beat Hong Kong paddlers Ko Lai Chak and Li Ching – guaranteeing another gold for China.In the women's singles China are also assured of gold after number one seed Zhang Yining was followed by three compatriots, respectively seeded four, three and five, in coming successfully through the quarter finals.

Friday's hero Wang bounced back up to the table in determined fashion, ouclassing compatriot Hou Yingchao in the last 16 round of the men's singles to book his place in the quarter-finals.

His day ended on top of the podium, after his successful collaboration om the mixed doubles with Guo.

Their victory was capped by the fact they overcame the most dominant mixed doubles pairing of the last four years - world number one Ma Lin and world number two Wang Nan.

Friday’s results (x denotes seeding):

Women’s singles:

Fourth round: Zhang Yining (CHN x1) bt Lau Sui Fei (HKG x24) 11-6, 11-9, 11-5, 11-2; Kim Kyung-ah (KOR x11) bt Wang Yue Gu (SIN x8) 8-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-3, 11-9; Wang Chen (US) bt Daniela Dodean (ROM) 13-11, 5-11, 15-13, 11-5, 11-9; Guo Yue (CHN x4) bt Yao Yan (CHN) 10-12, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8; Guo Yan (CHN x3) bt Elizabeta Samara (ROM) 11-4, 11-7, 9-11, 11-4, 11-3; Peng Luyang (CHN x32) bt Lee Eun-hee (KOR) 11-2, 8-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-5; Li Xiaoxia (CHN x5) bt Li Jiao (NED x14) 11-8, 11-7, 12-14, 11-5, 11-2; Wang Nan (CHN x2) bt Liu Jia (AUT x13) 11-4, 3-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-6.

Quarter-finals: Zhang Yining (CHN x1) bt Kim Kyung-ah (KOR x11) 11-3, 11-4, 11-6, 16-14; Guo Yue (CHN x4) bt Wang Chen (USA) 11-6, 11-3, 11-1, 11-7; Guo Yan (CHN x3) bt Peng Luyang (CHN x32) 11-6, 11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8; Li Xiaoxia (CHN x5) bt Wang Nan (CHN x2) 11-5, 11-6, 12-10, 14-16, 11-8.

Men’s singles:

Fourth round: Ma Lin (CHN x1) bt Leung Chu Yan (HKG) 11-9, 9-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-7; Vladimir Samsonov (BLR x6) bt Gao Ning (SIN x23) 13-11, 8-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-3; Joo Se-hyuk (KOR x14) bt Ma Long (CHN x8) 5-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 12-10, 11-6; Wang Hao (CHN x4) bt Chuan Chih Yuan (TPE x16) 15-13, 10-12, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 8-11, 11-2; Timo Boll (GER x3) bt Kalinikos Kreanga (GRE x15) 11-6, 8-11, 11-4, 15-13, 11-4; Ryu Seung-min (KOR x9) bt Oh Sang-eun (KOR x5) 8-11, 12-10, 11-9, 3-11, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7; Hao Shuai (CHN x10) bt Chen Qi (CHN x7) 11-7, 7-11, 14-12, 11-13, 10-12, 11-9, 11-9; Wang Liqin (CHN x2) bt Hou Yingchao (CHN x13) 11-9, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6.

Men’s doubles:

Semi-finals: Chen Qi (CHN x7)/Ma Lin (CHN x1) bt Ko Lai Chak (HKG x22)/Li Ching (HKG x12) 7-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7; Wang Hao (CHN x4)/Wang Liqin (CHN x2) bt Chang Yen-Shu/Chiang Peng-Lung (TPE x29) 11-6, 7-11, 11-8, 11-6, 6-11, 11-5.

Mixed doubles:

Semi-finals: Wang Liqin (CHN x2)/Guo Yue (CHN x4) bt Qiu Yike/Cao Zhen (CHN) 9-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-6, 11-3; Ma Lin (CHN x1)/Wang Nan (CHN x2) bt Ko Lai Chak (HKG x22)/Tie Yana (HKG x6) 12-10, 11-6, 11-8, 11-4.

Final: Wang Liqin/Guo Yue (CHN x2/x4) bt Ma Lin/Wang Nan (CHN x1/x2) 13-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9, 9-11, 12-10.—AFP