MA Lin shows his class in Russian League finals

May 29, 2013
12:00 am
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The best ever final of Russian League will be finished today at Moscow (14h00 CET), between reigning champion Fakel Gazproma Orenburg and UMMC. After two games, played in last two days, the score is 1:1 (3:4, 4:3). The 2008 Olympic champion, Chinese MA Lin fulfilled expectations of UMMC`s coach Tatiana KUTERGINA, winning all six his encounters – four individual and two in doubles. On the other side, three times European champion Vladimir SAMSONOV is undefeated in singles.

Verkhnaya Pyshma`s club won first clash and led 3:2 in second, but Alexey SMIRNOV and Vladimir SAMSONOV turned the match beating TAN Ruiwu and Alexander SHIBAEV respectively. No doubt that current Men`s European Champions League winner is faced with its toughest task this year. All six players from both teams are placed among Top 55 on ITTF World rankings list: no. 7 Dmitrij OVTCHAROV, no. 8 MA Lin, no. 10 Vladimir SAMSONOV, no. 41 TAN Ruiwu, no. 47 Alexander SHIBAEV and no. 55 Alexey SMIRNOV.

1^st final: Fakel Gazproma Orenburg – UMMC 3:4
Dimitrij OVTCHAROV – Alexander SHIBAEV 3:1 (11:7, 11:9, 11:13, 11:8)
Alexey SMIRNOV – MA Lin 1:3 (9:11, 14:12, 10:12, 6:11)
Vladimir SAMSONOV – TAN Ruiwu 3:0 (11:7, 11:3, 11:6)
SAMSONOV/SMIRNOV – MA/TAN 2:3 (12:10, 11:2, 7:11, 9:11, 7:11)
Dimitrij OVTCHAROV – MA Lin 0:3 (8:11, 9:11, 10:12)
Vladimir SAMSONOV – Alexander SHIBAEV 3:1 (11:13, 11:8, 11:5, 11:3)
Alexey SMIRNOV – TAN Ruiwu 0:3 (9:11, 9:11, 6:11)

2^nd final: UMMC – Fakel Gazproma Orenburg 3:4
MA Lin – Alexey SMIRNOV 3:2
Alexander SHIBAEV – Dimitrij OVTCHAROV 1:3 (8:11, 4:11, 11:7, 3:11)
TAN Ruiwu –Vladimir SAMSONOV 2:3 (3:11, 5:11, 11:9, 13:11, 3:11)
MA/TAN – SAMSONOV/SMIRNOV 3:0 (11:7, 15:13, 11:2)
MA Lin – Dimitrij OVTCHAROV 3:1 (15:13, 9:11, 11:8, 11:4)
TAN Ruiwu – Alexey SMIRNOV 0:3 (9:11, 3:11, 5:11)
Alexander SHIBAEV – Vladimir SAMSONOV 1:3 (5:11, 6:11, 12:10, 9:11)

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