46^th World Table Tennis Championships

Osaka, Japan · April 23 - May 6, 2001

Men's Team Final: China defeats Belgium 3-0

By Larry Hodges

After his two losses against South Korea in the semifinals, some thought that Kong Linghui might sit out the final, especially since Wang Liqin, ranked #1 in the world, hadn’t played the semifinals. Instead, China moved Kong to the third position, where he would only play one match, and moved Ma Lin from the third to the second position, where he would play matches one and five (if it went that far). Liu Guozheng, the hero of the semifinals for China (where he had fought off seven match and tie points) filled out the roster, in the #1 slot, playing matches two and four. The three Chinese, Kong Linghui, Ma Lin and Liu Guozheng, are ranked #2, 3 and 5 in the world. On the bench for them would be Wang Liqin (#1) and Liu Guoliang (co-#5). That’s luxury, having the world #1 and the World & Olympic Men’s Singles Champion (Liu Guoliang) on the bench!

Up against them would be the underdog Belgium team, whose changes of winning might have been thought of as roughly proportional to the two country’s relative sizes or population – pretty low. The same was said of South Korea the day before – and of Belgium before they played Sweden.

For the final, Belgium is playing the same three in the same order as the day before – Jean-Michel Saive, his brother Philippe Saive, and Martin Bratanov. The three Belgians are ranked #12, 47 and 105 in the world (with Andras Podpinka and Marc Closset, world #67 and 223, on the bench). If these numbers were accurate, they wouldn’t be in the final.

Some historical perspective: China and Belgium have played at the Worlds six times throughout history, in 1957, 1959 (before any of these players were born), 1989, 1993, 1995 and 2000. In 1989 (when 21-year-olds Ma Lin and Liu Guozheng were nine years old), China won 5-2. Other than that, it’s been a skunk, China 24-2.

Ma Lin (CHN) vs. Jean-Michel Saive (BEL)

Since the 1997 Worlds, these two have played five times, with Ma winning four times. The last time they played was 17 months ago in November of 1999, when they played twice in the European Club League, with Saive winning the first time 2-1, but losing the second, 2-0. A lot can change in 17 months – since then, Ma Lin made the final of Men’s Singles at the Worlds, losing to teammate Liu Guoliang in the final, deuce in the fifth, while Saive’s formerly “weak” backhand, based on yesterday’s performance (defeating Jorgen Persson) is no longer weak. Generally, Saive is an all-out forehand looper and lobber/fisher. If he’s not looping forehands, he’s usually back at the barriers defending. Ma Lin would be a classic penhold looper except he also has an exceptional back-of-the-racket penhold backhand loop.

In the first game, they battle to 16-all – and then Saive took over. He serve and ripped two identical forehand loops to Ma’s wide forehand for winners, and then won a longer point where Ma was forced off the table, topspin defending (“fishing”) until Saive ripped a winner.

The second was all Ma Lin, ripping at will, 21-7.

In the third, at 13-all, Saive scores two in a row to lead 15-13. Ma calls a one-minute time-out to talk to his coach. What did the coach say? We may never know, but whatever it was, Ma came back to the table – and scored eight straight points to win the game and match, -17,7,15. Saive may never know as well, but he’ll be thinking about the four opening loops against push he missed (three of them backhand loops), in those last eight points (along with one unlucky net ball).

Liu Guozheng (CHN) vs. Philippe Saive (BEL)

Both of these players are known for being hot/cold players. Liu, however, is such a strong player that even when he’s not hot, he’s very strong. To have a chance, Saive will have to be hot. They have played once before – with Liu winning in five at the 2000 Olympics.

He is - Saive jumps out to a 7-3 and 10-5 lead.  But Liu ties it up at 14-all. From there on, Liu gradually pulls away, 16-14, 20-16, 21-18. (At 20-17, Liu tries to rip a counterloop, but so grazes the ball that it basically drops to the floor, spinning.)

In the second, Saive again jumps to a 7-3 lead – but Liu catches him quickly, 9-9. Then it’s 10-all, 11-all, 12-all, 13-all, 14-all. This is where Liu pulled away the previous game, and that’s what he does here. Down 14-17, Saive calls a time-out.  When he returns, he serves long, and Liu loop kills a winner, 14-18. Saive serves long again, and Liu misses a loop kill, 15-18. Saive serves long still again, and Liu again loop kills it, 15-19. Saive finally serves short, and follows with a flip kill, 16-19. But it’s too late – Liu wins a counterlooping exhange to go up 20-16. When Liu, who’s been winning all the points and is obviously hot, misses a loop next rally (20-17), the Chinese coach surprisingly calls a timeout. Perhaps he wants to tell him what serves to use? Liu serves long, Saive loops, Liu blocks, and Saive misses a loop. (Was it choreographed by the Chinese coach?). Match to Liu, 18 & 17, and China leads 2-0.

Kong Linghui (CHN) vs. Martin Bratanov (BEL)

Yesterday morning, most players would have looked at this and said, “Martin who?” By last night, Bratanov had won his match in the semifinals, while Kong had lost both of his. Now they were meeting at the final of the World Teams, the #2 (and former #1 and 1995 World Men’s Singles Champion) player in the world versus the #105 player in the world. 

A mismatch? It started that way, with Kong going up 5-0. But in the seesaw way that that every match had been recently, Bratanov tied it at 11-all. Then 12-all, 13-all and 14-all. What is it about 14-all? In both games against Philippe Saive, Liu Guozheng had pulled away at that score. Now Bratanov makes his move here, pulling off a diving block from his forehand to Kong’s open forehand court to lead 15-13. But Kong wins the next five, and soon leads 20-16. Bratanov serve and loops a winner, 20-17. Kong backhand hits a serve off, 20-18. Bratanov then serve and rips a “winner” to Kong’s forehand – but Kong quick hits a winner to Bratanov’s open forehand court, 21-18.

Kong starts game two fast, leading 4-1 on Bratanov’s serve. Bratanov, with his big free-swinging loops, stays close, and ties it at 14-all – only to lose the next two (that 14-all jinx…). Bratanov scores the next three, and leads 17-16. Then (seesawing again) Kong scores three in a row to lead 19-16. When Bratanov backhand killed Kong’s loop the next point (19-18), the Chinese coach called a timeout. (The Chinese coach really seemed to have a different theory about timeouts – while others called them after losing a few points near the end of an important game, he often called them near the end of a game when his player had scored a number in a row, and then lost just one.) Kong then went up 20-18, but Bratanov kill loops Kong’s next serve, 20-19. When Kong against serves long, Bratanov loops again – off! Kong and China have won, 18 & 19.

Going into these Worlds, China was the dominant men’s power, with the #1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 men in the world. Going out, they are still the dominant power and the world champions. But nobody who was here and saw their opponents battle their hearts out against them – especially South Korea in the semifinals - will ever again think that even the most dominant country is a sure thing.

China d. Belgium 3-0

• Ma Lin (CHN) d. Jean-Michel Saive (BEL), -17,7,15

• Liu Guozheng (CHN) d. Philippe Saive (BEL), 18,17

• Kong Linghui (CHN) d. Martin Bratanov (BEL), 18,19

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