Women's Doubles Pro Tour Grand Finals

12/11/2005
The final of the Women’s Doubles event at the Volkswagen Pro Tour Grand Finals in Fuzhou saw two pairs competing who had never previously met.

KIM Bok Rae and KIM Kyung Ah of Korea playing against GAO Jun of the United States and SHEN Yanfei of Spain.

It was a match that spawned an intriguing situation. KIM Bok Rae and KIM Kyung Ah are two of the very best female defensive players in the world; GAO Jun is particularly good against that style of play but her partner, SHEN Yanfei, lost to KIM Kyung Ah in the opening round of the Women’s Singles event in Fuzhou. Perhaps she would not be as comfortable against backspin play as her partner.

Caution
Playing carefully, moving the ball around the table, waiting for the opportunity, GAO Jun and SHEN Yanfei took an early lead in the opening game, they eventually established an 8-4 advantage and duly progressed to 10-4, eventually winning the game 11-7.

Throughout the opening game GAO Jun and SHEN Yanfei had played slow topspin strokes, nothing fierce until either player felt they could end proceedings; seemingly they could keep the ball on the table for hours on end. The second game saw the same tactics being employed with the Koreans, on occasions, being prepared to attack but the attackers were not able to establish a lead; the scores stood level at 8-all. The next point went to GAO Jun and SHEN Yanfei but a fierce forehand drive from KIM Bok Rae brought matters level, then a point of some twenty or more exchanges saw GAO Jun and SHEN Yanfei take the lead at 10-9 and when KIM Kyung Ah returned a forehand drive from GAO Jun into the net, it was game over. GAO Jun and SHEN Yanfei were two games to the good.

Same Tactic
In the third game, KIM Bok Rae and KIM Kyung Ah kept defending and on occasions attacked as GAO Jun and SHEN Yanfei maintained their policy of slowly, slowly, carefully, carefully. The game was as close as those that had gone before with KIM Bok Rae and KIM Kyung Ah going ahead 9-7. GAO Jun and SHEN Yanfei levelled but an error from GAO Jun and then a quick forehand drive from KIM Kyung Ah won the next two points for the Koreans and the match deficit was reduced to one game.

The fourth game saw the Koreans attack more but it was the pairing of GAO Jun and SHEN Yanfei who gained the early advantage, they went ahead 4-2, then 5-3 but the Koreans, stout in defence, recovered to level at 5-all and then established an 8-6 lead. GAO Jun and SHEN Yanfei played more strongly than previously and won the next two points to level matters at 8-all. The fact that they attacked produced table tennis of high quality as the Koreans moved gracefully around the court, returning their opponents attacks with textbook techniques.

GAO Jun and SHEN Yanfei eventually went ahead 9-8 prompting coach Korean coach SUK Eun Mi to call `Time Out’. Alas for Korea the break worked in favour of their opponents. GAO Jun and SHEN Yanfei won the next two points and in so doing moved one game away from the title.

The recovery added to the confidence of GAO Jun and SHEN Yanfei; in the fifth game they were dominant, they won the game 11-3 and in so doing clinched the title.

First Time
It was the first time in the ten year history of the ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals that either the Men’s Doubles or Women’s Doubles titles had been won by a pair who were not representing the same national table tennis association.

The champions were from the United States of America and Spain, GAO Jun and SHEN Yanfei.

GAO Jun/SHEN Yanfei (USA/ESP) bt KIM Bok Rae/KIM Kyung Ah (KOR) 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3