Wang Liqin, Wang Hao set up table tennis men's singles final
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-10-18 16:12

World No.1 Wang Liqin and Olympic silver medalist Wang Hao set up a men's singles final match-up of the table tennis competitions at the National Games here.

Shanghai's Wang Liqin disposed off teenager sensation Ma Long of Beijing 4-3 (9-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5), while Wang Hao from the Chinese Army saw off Guangdong's Ma Lin 4-1 (11- 6, 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6) in the semi-finals.

Rising star Ma Long, 17, had a clear chance to upset Wang Liqin with a 3-2 lead before Wang calmly leveled it with a 11-7 win in the sixth game and claimed a final berth with a quick 11-5 win in the last one.

Ma Lin lost control of his temper with a 3-0 deficit to Wang Hao. A 11-6 fourth-game win only saved him from humiliation on the top-level competition.

Shandong's Li Xiaoxia and Peng Luyang stopped Hubei's Liu Juan and Rao Jingwen's run with a 4-3 win (11-3, 9-11, 9-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 12-10) to enter the women's doubles final.

Li Nan/Tang Na of Tianjin held onto their solid game to beat Niu Jianfeng/Bai Yang of Hebei 4-3 (13-11, 7-11, 11-9, 7-11, 17-15, 11-13, 11-4) in the other semi-finals.