HE Zhiwen the oldest player with WT title

March 29, 2015
12:00 am
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At the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour Spanish Open in Almeria the host nation’s HE Zhiwen has become the oldest player to secure an ITTF World Tour title. Aged 52 years and 302 days he partnered colleague Carlos MACHADO to success in the Men’s Doubles

Occupying the no.8 seeded position in the event the duo overcame Russia’s Fedor KUZMIN and Grigory VLASOV the no.4 seeds in a dramatic full distance five games final. Eventually they succeeded on their ninth match point. The Russian duo saved seven match points in the fourth game before holding two match points of their own in the decisive fifth game (11-8 5-11 11-8 16-18 14-12).

Success for He Zhiwen the win coming 30 years after what might be regarded as his greatest Men’s Doubles success. Representing China at the World Championships in Gothenburg in 1985 he won Men’s Doubles bronze in partnership with FAN Changmao but quite surprisingly has never ventured beyond the quarter-final stage of a Men’s Doubles event on the ITTF World Tour.

Ai FUKUHARA and Misako WAKAMIYA the second seeds overcame top seeded compatriots Miu HIRANO and Mima ITO the defending champions to clinch the Women’s Doubles title (8-11 11-8 10-12 11-4 11-7). It was for Ai FUKUHARA and Misako WAKAMIYA their third ITTF World Tour Women’s Doubles title and fourth final as a partnership.

Maharu YOSHIMURA of Japan beat WONG Chun Ting of Hong Kong to secure gold in Men’s Singles Event. In Women’s Singles Event JEON Jihee secured her title in the final duel against Sayaka HIRANO of Japan.

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