46^th World Table Tennis Championships

Osaka, Japan · April 23 - May 6, 2001

Men’s Singles Final

Wang Liqin Wins Men’s Singles in Historic Comeback

By Larry Hodges 

Wang Liqin (R) rips a forehand on his way to winning the final over Kong Linghui. Photo copyright 2001 by Julian Waters

It was another all-Chinese final, but somehow it generated more interest than the other all-Chinese finals – perhaps because of the expectation of such high-level play? Viewers weren’t disappointed in this match between the recent world #1 Wang Liqin, and 2000 Olympic and 1995 World Men’s Singles Champion Kong Linghui, #2 in the world. It would be power vs. control, challenger vs. established champion, teammate vs. teammate.

The two practice regularly with the rest of the Chinese team, but haven’t played an international match against each other in a year. Wang has won 3-0 the last two times they have played, in the semifinals of the China Open in May 2000, and in the final of the Sweden Open in November of 1999. Kong is up lifetime, 5-3, but that includes matches in 1996 and 1997. Since Wang has won 3-0 the last two times they have played, and he is #1 to Kong’s #2 in the world, should Wang be the favorite? There was no consensus on who would win this match, although many seemed convinced that one or the other would win. Based on his play here, I thought Wang would win; USA Team Coach Dan Seemiller thought Kong would win, because “He’s the Man!” Dan had more specific reasons, but he was almost right.

Since they were teammates, they played without coaches. In the first two games, Kong was King Kong, and Wang was playing ping-pong. Kong won both games 21-11, consistently winning 3 of 5 both on his serve and on Wang’s. After losing the first two at 11, what chance would he have? You could just imagine Coach Seemiller nodding his head. This is what he expected, and he was right – even though the tide would now change. (In 1969, Shigeo Itoh came back from down 2-0 against Eberhard Schoeler to win in the finals; and Istvan Jonyer did the same to Anton Stipancic in 1975. I don't believe it has happened since.)

In neutral rallies, Kong was dominating with his over-the-table backhand loop. There were few flat shots this match – every shot was spun, usually with heavy topspin, usually quick off the bounce. This probably wasn’t apparent to observers, who probably saw these backhand to backhand rallies as just that – the same backhand-backhand rallies we see in the U.S. at all levels. However, both were basically looping and counterlooping most shots from right over the table, using a wrist snap to generate spin. Kong is especially good at this. For Wang to win, he needed to get the initiative quickly each rally. Otherwise, Kong would force him into mistakes, or Wang would end up off the table, fishing back Kong’s attack.

In the first two games, Wang had been serving a lot of backspin, and Kong was dropping them short, stopping Wang’s powerful attack. Kong’s receive control and controlling backhand dominated. In game three, Wang began to serve more and more no-spin, and Kong continued to try to drop them – but now he was popping up too many, and Wang began to tee off more and more.  It might have been better for Kong to flip more often, since the short push was no longer working as well. Kong began to get more aggressive, attacking more and more with his forehand, when it was his backhand that had dominated earlier, and he became erratic. It would have been interesting to see how this match would have played if he had had a coach to point this out to him between games. 

In game three, Kong went up 3-0, but Wang quickly came back (scoring the next four), and gradually pulled away, 4-3, 6-4, 9-4, 12-8, 15-10, 17-13, 21-16.

In game four, down 7-8, Wang scored six in a row, and again he pulled away with his devastating attack: 13-8, 14-12, 19-12 (five in a row), 21-13. Kong continued to pop up serves, and seemed to get more and more aggressive, which turned the match into a power vs. power contest – and Kong can’t match Wang in power.

In game five, Kong took the early lead, and held it to 8-6. He seemed to be going back and forth from all-out forehand attack and the steady over-the-table backhand looping attack he’d used earlier. However, his backhand seemed more erratic, and he began to make mistakes from both wings. In contrast to the first two games, Kong was the aggressor, while Wang was playing steady – except for on his serve, where he’d jump on Kong’s receives if they weren’t perfect. From 8-6 down, Wang won four in a row, with Kong calling a timeout at 8-9. At 8-10, Kong got a net, but Wang followed that with an edge ball to go up 11-9. From this point on, it seemed that Kong was pressing – or perhaps he was trying to rise to the occasion? Kong’s attack from both sides became more aggressive, but Wang either would out-steady him, or unleash his own more powerful (and right now, more consistent) attack. Wang pulled away – 11-9, 12-10, 15-10, 16-11, 18-12, 21-13.  Wang has completed one of the greatest comebacks in Men’s Singles history here, winning the match –11,-11,16,13,13. This gave Wang a sweep of the men’s events – Men’s Singles, Doubles and Teams.

Afterwards, in contrast to European players – who often whoop it up when they win – Wang buried his head in his towel, crying. He had come into the Worlds ranked #1, based on his many victories at ITTF Pro Tour events, but he had never won a Worlds or Olympics, considered the two biggest prizes in table tennis. Now he joins Kong and Liu Guoliang as members of the Chinese Men’s Team who have done so.

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