LIEBHERR 2018 World Team Table Tennis Championships
China defended their title and won the trophy for the 21st time at the LIEBHERR 2018 World Team Table Tennis Championships. In the final they overcame Japan who is without the title since 1971 in Nagoya Japan. They have won 9 in total so far.
China has lost two matches in this championships which is the worst result for them since they lost the 2010 final to Singapore. Japan has not yet lost an individual match here and defeated the united Korea (COR) team in the semifinal.
Last time they met at the World Championships was in the 2016 final in Kuala Lumpur
Reigning champions China play for their 21st world team title while Japan try to win their 9th the last women’s team gold for Japan was 1971 in Nagoya Japan.
The 2016 final in Kuala Lumpur was also China vs Japan but instead Li Xiaoxia now was playing ZHU Yuling.
Great pressure took it tool on LIU Shiwen. She lost her opening match against Mima ITO. LIU forced Mima to go full distance but failed to sealed the match. DING Ning played very close three games against Miu HIRANO whilst ZHU Yuling beat Kasumi ISHIKAWA. Liu overcame HIRANO in the fourth match.
“It is a pity that I failed to win the opening match. I had two match point saved further four…but I lost. Mima ITO played very good I did not expect she will be that good. Thankfully I got great support from team and I stood the challenge in the fourth match ” said LIU.
DING Ning was in the team’s line up 19 times when they reached the gold.
“It is never easy and you can not win if the whole team is not behind you. Everyone worked hard for this ” said DING.
