Olympic and world table tennis champion Zhang Yining has been so
mighty in the women's ping-pong that few would doubt she will win
her fifth World Cup.
The world top-ranked Zhang, winner in 2001, 2001, 2004 and
2005,has been in a class of her own since the pencil-slim Beijinger
clinched China's historic 100th Olympic gold medal in the Athens
Games in 2004.
Her archrival and teammate Wang Nan, three-time winner, opted
out of the September 29-October 1 tournament to give way to young
players.
"Zhang has been virtually unbeatable since the 2004 Olympics,"
said Chinese women's team head coach Shi Zhihao. "She is the most
consistent player in the team and none of the young players is able
to match her in skills, tactics or mentality."
The annual World Cup, which features the world's top-ranked
players and continental champions, is one of the most watched table
tennis events in the world, rated third in importance, only after
the Olympic tournament and the world championships.
If the impossible becomes a reality and Zhang suffers an early
exit, Guo Yan, world runner-up to Zhang and currently ranked No. 3,
will fill in for the title chase.
Chinese youngster Li Xiaoxia, ranked sixth, will have a title
chance if her more fancied teammates fall in early rounds.
The Chinese women have never let go a single World Cup trophy
since legendary Deng Yaping won the inaugural event in 1996. Wang
Nan won in 1997, 1998, 2003 and Li Ju triumphed in the Cambodian
capital Phnom Penh in 2000, the only time the event was held
outside of Chinese soil.
This World Cup will miss the top-ranked European Tamara Boros,
who usually regales audience with high-toss service and spectacular
attacking game.
The Croatian withdrew from the tournament citing an injury and
the first reserve player, Mihaela Steff of Romania, didn't accept
the invitation for health reasons.
Austrian Liu Jia, ranked 21st, will hold European standard but
isn't expected to go far in the tournament.
Liu shares the birthplace with Zhang Yining and Guo Yan.
Singapore's Li Jia Wei, ranked seventh, is also from Beijing.
Li's first coach is her father Li Wanxiang, who had also trained
Guo Yan.
Among the 16 World Cup participants, seven are former Chinese
nationals or provincial team players.
The players who had switched their allegiances include No.
12-ranked Gao Jun, No. 50 Wang Chen, both of the US, No. 4 Tie Yana
and No. 13 Lin Ling, both playing for Hong Kong Special
Administration Region, and New Zealand's Oceania champion Karen
Li.
The World Cup also featured the world's top two defensive
players - South Korea's Kim Kyung Ah and Belarus' Viktoria
Pavlovich.
Doll-face Japanese Ai Fukuhara, who speaks impeccable Chinese
and had played for the Chinese club Liaoning, enjoys as much
popularity in China as in Japan. The 2008 Olympic prospect aims to
lift from last World Cup's third place.
Lopsided games will be a regular fare in the group competition
on Friday. African champion Osman Bacent of Egypt, ranked 375th,
and Latin American winner Ligia Santos Silva, ranked 232nd, will be
punching bags for the world-class players.
(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2006)