46th World Table Tennis Championships

Osaka, Japan · April 23 - May 6, 2001

Men’s Teams Semifinals

Belgium Upsets Top-Seeded Sweden; 
China Overcomes Seven Team Match Points to Defeat Korea

By Larry Hodges 

A billion Chinese quaked in their slippers. 100 million Koreans leaped to their feet seven times. Several dozen Americans knew what was going on. If you are reading this and didn’t see it, you missed two of the greatest and most memorable team matches in history.

Who would think that the Belgium upset of Sweden would become an afterthought after what happened in the China – South Korea

The inevitable China versus Sweden Men’s Team Final is not going to happen. By all the rules of probability, it should be a Korea – Belgium final. Instead, it will be a China – Belgium final.

So what happened? Let’s start with what happened to the Swedes on their way to not making the final for the first time in a long time. Why turn such a great team match into an anticlimactic afterthought simply because it was followed by the purest gem of a match ever seen?

Semifinal #1: Sweden vs. Belgium

Jorgen Persson (SWE) vs. Philippe Saive (BEL)

Philippe – and we call him that so as not to get him confused with his brother and teammate Jean-Michel – has beaten every major European player – except Persson. However, he did go five with Persson the last time out, losing 3-2 in the round of 32 at the Croatian Open in March, 2001. But this match started out as expected. At 17-all, Person won four in a row by going after Philippe’s backhand to win the first game. Throughout the game, Persson went back and forth between two serves – the common forehand pendulum serve from the backhand corner (he usually does it inside out), and a backhand serve from just over the endline on his forehand side of the table. He pulls the backhand serve out especially when it is close.

At 9-7 in second, Philippe scoops up a ball that went off the side of the table by the net and lobs it up – but he’s moving so fast he just continues to Persson’s side, and takes a leisurely jog around the table. The lob just missed, 10-7 Persson. Philippe called a one-minute timeout here (each player is allowed one per match), but it didn’t help – Persson extended his lead to 13-8. Philippe pulls to 13-12 – then Persson’s up 15-12. Then it’s 16-all, and then Philippe’s up 19-16, and wins 21-17.

In the third, Philippe goes up 16-13. Persson scores the next two, and then switches to his backhand serve – and immediately serves three straight let balls! He then switches back to his forehand serve, to the amusement of the crowd. It goes to 16-all, 17-all, then Persson goes up 18-17. But Philippe wins four straight on his serve at the end – with a stunned look on Persson’s face when he misses a counterloop at 18-20. Match #1 to Belgium.

Jan-Ove Waldner (SWE) vs. Jean-Michel Saive (BEL)

These are the two aces – but Waldner doesn’t look like an ace in most of this match. Throughout this match, he looked slow, lethargic, and seemed to be standing up straight most of time. He didn’t look as fit as he had in the past. Until near the end, he mostly pushed, blocked and fished and lobbed from off the table. The result? The ever-energetic Jean-Michel simply out-hustled him, looping balls from all over the court, and winning the first 21-11. It looked like Jean-Michel would win, just as he had in knocking Waldner out in the semifinals of the 1993 Worlds in Sweden, Jean-Michel’s biggest win over Waldner ever. Back then, Jean-Michel was Waldner’s nemesis, but in recent years Waldner has won most matches, including the last time out at the 2000 Olympics, where Waldner won 3-1 in the round of 16.

Between games, he eats part of a banana. When he returns to the table, he still seems to be moving slowly, but Jean-Michel suddenly can’t return his serves, and Waldner’s throwing all sorts of change-ups at him – half his loops are so soft that Saive is overswinging and missing. Jean-Michel does all the work, Waldner seems to do nothing, and Waldner dominates the game, 21-13.

In the third, Jean-Michel (serving first) goes up 4-0 and 8-5, then loses five in a row, 13-8. The he scores four in a row, 13-12. Now it’s Waldner’s serve – and disaster for the Belgium. Waldner serves long three times in a row, and Jean-Michel misses three straight loops, none really even close. Then it’s 17-12, and soon Waldner, the master of ball control and change-ups, has won against Jean-Michel, the hustling looper, -11,13,17.

Fredrik Hakansson (SWE) vs. Martin Bratanov (BEL)

As many had expected, Sweden goes with the rapidly improving Hakansson instead of Peter Karlsson. As to Belgium, few had heard of 26-year-old Bratanov. He is ranked 105 in the World (to Hakansson’s 36), so this match should be Hakansson’s? Instead, Bratanov’s extremely acrobatic two-winged looping game completely overpowers Hakansson in the first, 21-12. Hakansson’s good, but this match is in some ways like Waldner vs. Jean-Michel – the Belgium’s make the Swedes look slow, even while losing. In this case, the Swede took control in the second, winning 21-10. But it’s to no avail as a red-hot Bratanov runs away with the third, 10-3, 20-12, 21-15. Match to the Belgiums, 12,-10,15, who now are up 2-1 and threatening to knock the Swedes out.

Jorgen Persson vs. Jean-Michel Saive

Persson has lost the last two times against Jean-Michel, but he is known as a big match player – after all, how many thought he’d sweep the Chinese in the Team Final at the last Worlds? But few expected the way this match started – with Jean-Michel taking a 9-0 lead! He can do no wrong! Game one to the Belgium, 21-12, and Sweden is one game from being eliminated.

The second is close to 12-all. Then Jean-Michel begins to pull away, 12-15, but Persson keeps coming back. At 16-17, Jean-Michel finally pulls away again, and is serving up 19-16. Persson wins the next point with a very strange, soft inside-out counter loop that spins away from Jean-Michel so fast he barely gets to it. But a backhand into the net, and two points later a backhand off the end, and Jean-Michel has won, 12 & 18 – and Sweden has lost! Immediately after winning, Jean-Michel runs screaming from the court, arms raised, and is mobbed by his teammates.

Belgium d. Sweden 3-1

“End of an era,” someone said. “Waldner and Persson will retire, and nobody will be able to challenge the Chinese for a decade.” Actually, it would only take an hour.

Philippe Saive, whose win over Persson might have been the most surprising, said, “This was the most important match of my life, and I wanted to give move than 100%.” Except, of course, he will have even more important matches tomorrow night in the final?

Persson, who had surprisingly lost both his matches, said, “It’s my first loss to him ever, and I chose a bad time to do it. I had my chances, but he was always there.”

Waldner said, “Today they played better than us.” When asked how he thought Belgium would do against the Chinese, he said, “China could have trouble with Korea – you never know.” The master of table tennis past was now the master of the immediate table tennis future, since he – and perhaps the Koreans – were the only ones who thought or hinted that Korea could go up against a team with the top three players in the world, whose number five player was ranked #6 in the world. Only Taiwan’s Chiang Peng-Lung, world #4, broke up the Chinese recent monotony at the top of the men’s world rankings – and later, when China was on the ropes, someone suggested that China might have to invade and take over Taiwan just to get Chiang.

So what exactly happened between China and South Korea?

Semifinals #2: China vs. South Korea

To start with, you know China’s good when they have the #1 ranked player in the world (Wang Liqin) and the current World and Olympic Champion (Liu Guoliang), and choose to play neither. They go with world #2 Kong Linghui and world #5 Liu Guozheng (who hasn’t lost a game this tournament) in the top two positions, and world #3 Ma Lin in the third position. Up against them would be Kim Taek Soo, Oh Sang Eun and Ryu Seung Min, ranked #9, 26 and 27 in the world. Rumors are flying about that Ryu is injured, either his arm or leg, but no one seems to know for sure.

Let’s be honest. Most of the drama took place in the fifth and final match – so we’ll run over the first four matches more quickly, since all were 2-0.

Liu Guozheng (CHN) vs. Oh Sang Eun (KOR)

Many are surprised that Liu is playing instead of Wang Liqin, the #1 ranked player in the world. However, Liu hasn’t lost a game yet, and is playing so well (in contrast to Wang, who has lost to Timo Boll the day before) that they went with him.

The match is quite a contrast, the very tall Oh vs. the very short Liu, but Liu is an extremely fast shotmaker, and he basically made all his shots in winning at 12 & 18. The two had played once before in the past two years, at the Japan Open in June, 2000, and Liu had won that one 3-0. Meanwhile, the same Korean contingent that had been chanting for the Koreans for days is still in action, chanting, playing drums and sill wearing the same white shirts with a picture of Korea (both combined) on it as part of a call for unification. Are they doing laundry every night?

Kong Linghui (CHN) vs. Kim Taek Soo (KOR)

This was a match-up of the shakehand looper and all-round player Kong vs. the power-looping – but also good topspin defender – Kim. They had played twice over the past two years, and Kong had won them both, 3-0 at the Japan Open, and 2-0 at the World Clubs Championship, both in June of 2000. Kong has a long history of beating the Koreans, so China is strongly favored this match.

Kim wins at 16 & 17. It’s all tied up! (The secret? Many counter-looping rallies, and Kim dominated them.)

Ma Lin (CHN) vs. Ryu Seung Min (KOR)

Ma Lin probably has the best penhold backhand loop in the world (he uses the back of his penhold blade, not the regular hitting surface), and Ryu also has this shot, although it’s not as good or used as often as Ma’s. But whether it’s forehands or backhands, Ma runs right through Ryu in game one, 21-12.

In the second, Ryu almost runs away with it, going up 13-7, 15-9 and 18-13. Ma now serves, Ryu pushes it back, and Ma loop kills a winner, 14-18. The exact sequence happens again, 15-18. Then again, 16-18! Finally, Ryu attacks the serve with a slow loop, but same result – Ma loop kills it, 17-18. At 18-19, a net ball pops the ball up, and Ma loop kills it. Then Ryu serve and pushes, and Ma loop kills again, 20-19. (Is there a pattern here?) Ma wins a counterlooping point, and Ryu slams his racket on the ground in disgust. Match to Ma, 12 & 19.

Kong Linghui (CHN) vs. Oh Sang Eun (KOR)

Let’s jump right to near the end, 19-all. Oh serves and loops, and gets the 20-19 ad, but Kong loops in the edge to deuce it. Kong goes up 21-20 – and the Chinese coach calls a time-out! Usually you do that when you are behind. It doesn’t help as Oh ties it, and then gets an edge to go up 22-21. Then he gets a net ball – but this pops the ball up, and Kong loops winner, 22-all. Kong goes up 23-22; Oh goes up 24-23 and 25-24. This time he holds it when Kong loops off. In game two, Oh goes up 17-14, then Kong ties it 17-all. Oh scores the next point – and the Chinese bench is yellow carded for coaching! It doesn’t help; match to Oh, 24 & 18.

It’s all tied up for the fifth and final match. Tighten your seat belt.

Liu Guozheng (CHN) vs. Kim Taek Soo (KOR)

Before going to the table, each member of the Korean team shakes Kim’s hand. He then proceeds to take Liu apart, playing unbelievable, and leads 9-3. But Liu rises to the occasion, and we soon have two of the hottest – and most evenly match - players ever to be on the same table together. But Kim already has the lead, and while the counterlooping are incredible – both have great power, yet fantastic consistency in this match – he holds the lead to the end as the two trade power shots back and forth, over and over, in the same rally. Kim wins the first, 21-16. It's not that big a surpise - the two have played once in the past two years, at the World Club Championships in June of 2000, and Kim had won that one 2-1.

Right near the start of the second game, the Korean coach is kicked out of the arena for coaching during a game!

Kim actually raises the level of his game, which did not seem possible, and goes up 9-3. There is nothing Liu can’t counterloop at full power, but Kim is even more powerful, and is playing a level not often seen before. So … Liu raises his level to match him! Liu is known as a hot/cold player, but when’s he’s on, he may be the best player in the world. From here on, it’s a toss-up between him and Kim.

There is no point in describing many of the points. Over and over it comes down to pure power-looping back and forth. Even if one pops the ball up, and loops at the widest possible angle at maximum power, the other runs it down and loops it back just as hard. So let’s watch the scores.

After falling behind 9-3, Liu pulls to 6-9. He’s now winning points by literally taking Kim’s most powerful loops and looping them back so fast and hard that Kim cannot recover from the previous loop. In fact, it becomes obvious that if Kim’s opening put-away loop is to the forehand side, Liu will counterloop a wide-angle winner over and over – and he does so. Kim needs to open to the backhand.

Liu finally ties it at 11-all with a counterlooping that went on forever – like many of them. At 12-all, Liu pops the ball up – and Kim misses! Suddenly Kim gets sloppy, misses a few, and after being up 9-3, he’s now down 17-13 (losing the last point when Liu loop kills on the edge). He then ties it up 17-all. It goes to 19-all.

Finally, to the delight of the Korean fans and teammates, Kim rips a loop winner to Liu’s backhand, and he is one point away from eliminating China and putting Korea in the final!

But Liu serve and rips a winner and the opportunity is lost.

Kim gets another chance when Liu misses a backhand counterloop, 20-21, and again Korea is one point away from the final. But again, Liu serve and rips – and Kim just misses the counterloop. 21-all.

Kim serve and rips a loop to Liu’s forehand, and for once Liu doesn’t counterloop a winner he gets aced, perhaps looking for it to come to his backhand. For the third time, Korea is one point away from the final. But Kim backhand kills Liu’s serve off, and it’s 22-22.

Now Kim serve and does a sudden sidespin push to Liu’s backhand – but it goes wide. Finally, Liu serves and attacks, Kim is off the table just topspinning balls back with his backhand. Liu rips it to the forehand, and Kim cannot run it down. Three opportunities, but Liu has fought them all off. They go into the third game.

The same rallies happen throughout the third, a non-stop power-looping festival. Up 16-15, Kim rips two winners, and then backhand punch-blocks a winner off Liu’s “winner” – and Kim is now serving for the game, match, and Korea, up 19-16.

Kim serve and whiffs a loop against Liu’s push, 19-17.

Kim loops, Liu blocks to the forehand, and Kim cannot run it down. Is he getting tired? 19-18.

Liu loops the serve, and Kim blocks off. It’s almost an anticlimactic 19-all with three sloppy points in a row.

From here on, the memory will be pure agony for Kim and Koreans, as if the previous game’s match points weren’t enough. He’s already had three match points in game two; he served from up 19-16 in the third. He will now serve for the match at 20-19, 21-20, 22-21 and 23-22. He will have opportunities, but nothing quite goes in. He serves long three times when serving for the match, allowing Liu the first loop in several counterlooping rallies Liu would win. Finally, at 23-all, Kim misses a counterloop, and then a regular loop – and Liu has fought off seven match and tie points to win, -16,-22,-23, in a team match that will be remembered for decades to come, perhaps more by the Koreans than the relieved Chinese, but certainly by all that were there. The depressed Kim was given a standing ovation on the way out, and finally, just before leaving, he raised his hand and waved to the crowd.

Tomorrow: China vs. Belgium. Will it be this good?

China d. South Korea 3-2

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