National table tennis head coach Liu Guoliang doesn't know if
the proper term is competitive, aggressive or just plain greedy,
but he is sure he is one of them.
With less than a fortnight before the world table tennis
championships start in Zagreb, Liu is ready to delight the millions
of home fans by completing another title sweep.
"Although no one has imposed any specific gold medal target on
us, we are looking forward to more world championships glory," said
Liu, who will lead a 12-strong squad to the May 21-27 tournament
alongside Shi Zhihao and his 12-player women's squad.
The Chinese men's and women's teams left for Austria for
pre-worlds camp on Saturday and Liu said defeat to foreign players
will not be tolerated.
"I don't want to see my players losing to foreign rivals," said
Liu. "We have done a good job in preparing for the world
championships, selecting the best players through three open trials
and thoroughly studying potential title competitors."
Best preparation?
Defending world champion Wang Liqin and four-time World Cup
holder Ma Lin have entered the men's singles, doubles and mixed
doubles events, while 29-year-old Wang Nan and 18-year-old Guo Yue
will be the busiest players on the women's team, each playing three
events.
The world's top-rated woman Zhang Yining, who skipped the Asian
Games last year, will play women's singles and doubles events.
To better prepare for one of the most important rehearsals for
the Beijing Games, the men's and women's squads had a 35-day
training camp in Xiamen and Zhengding respectively.
Nine players from the men's squad and 10 from the women's, out
of 12 each, have been selected from a series of trials, which were
called the "Road to Zagreb" before and during the training
camp.
According to the selection rules, all established players
including world champions Wang Liqin and Zhang Yining had to fight
against younger teammates for a world championships berth.
"The trials ensured that the world championships tickets were
handed to those who deserved them. It's a fairer way than the
previous method in which coaches handpicked the players," commented
Liu.
"But it'll be the last time that China's table tennis team
drives an 'express train' when selecting a squad for a world-class
event before the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008," he added.
The Chinese team used open trials for the first time before the
Bremen world team championships last year.
"There will be only three men's and three women's players from
each association playing the singles and team events of the table
tennis tournament in the Beijing Olympic Games. It would be
irrational if we gave some players Olympic berths just according to
results of one or two trials," Liu added.
According to the 31-year-old coach, all 12 men have made
excellent preparations for the upcoming worlds.
"Veteran Wang Liqin and teenage sensation Ma Long maintained
good form throughout the training camp, while four-time World Cup
winner Ma Lin and Olympic silver medalist Wang Hao had been up and
down but they concluded the camp in good shape," said Liu.
"And as for the selection of defensive player Hou Yingchao, we
hope he will turn out to be our secret weapon," he added.
On the women's side, head coach Shi Zhihao said all players were
in a normal state except top-rated Zhang Yining, who suffered a
slight groin strain.
"Zhang had been widely criticized for her poor form, as she
missed the Doha Asian Games in December before performing poorly
early this year and failing to make the final at any of the four
Pro-tour Opens.
"But the worst time has passed, and Zhang will stand tall again
at the worlds," said Shi.
South Korea competition
Looking at the competition at the worlds, both Liu and Shi
agreed that the South Koreans would pose the biggest threat to
China's title defense.
"The men's singles event will see the world's powerhouses slug
it out. The top 50 players in the world men's singles rankings will
all be threatening," said Liu.
He listed seven players as potential banana skins, including Oh
Sang En and Ryu Seung Min, both of South Korea, triple European
champion Timo Boll of Germany and former world champion Werner
Schlager of Austria.
Women's coach Shi Zhihao also rated South Korea as the biggest
threats.
"South Koreans are strong in both men's and women's events.
Defensive player Kim Kyung Ah, South Korea's best female paddler,
has beaten almost every Chinese player except Zhang Yining, and her
partnership with Kim Bok Rae is the best women's doubles pair
outside of China."
Liu and Shi also pinpointed Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei and
Singapore as threats.
"As the defending champions, Chinese players have been
well-studied by all their rivals. What we can do is stay cautious
and play our own games," said Liu.
(China Daily May 15, 2007)