Chen Meng Emerges Most Successful Player as China Dominates Proceedings in Tianjin
Winner of the Women’s Singles title earlier in the year at the GAC Group ITTF World Tour Harmony Open in Suzhou, Chen Meng emerged as the most successful player in the table tennis events at the 6th East Asia Games in Tianjin.
She departed the Dongli Gymnasium on Saturday 12th October 2013 at the conclusion of six days of action with three gold medals around her neck; one less than in 2011, when at the Volkswagen World Junior Championships in Bahrain it had been four from a possible four.
Currently listed at no.8 on the Women’s World Rankings, the 19 year old secured the Women’s Singles title after having played an integral role in China’s success in the Women’s Team competition and having partnered Zhu Yuling to the top prize in the Women’s Doubles event.
One Title Elusive It was yet another tournament in which China dominated matters. The only title to elude the host nation was in the Mixed Doubles event, where DPR Korea’s Kim Hyok Bong and Kim Jong, the gold medallists earlier this year at the LIEBHERR World Championships in Paris, emerged successful.
Otherwise it was success after success for China; they clinched the Men’s Team title and later followed with Men’s Doubles gold in the guise of Hao Shuai and Yan An. Fan Zhendong closed the curtain on proceedings by standing tall on the top step of the Men’s Singles podium.
Partners and Adversaries In the Women’s Singles event, Chen Meng accounted for doubles partner, Zhu Yuling in the final (11-5, 11-7, 9-11, 12-14, 11-9, 11-1), having in the latter stages beaten Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa in the semi-finals (6-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-6, 11-2) and DPR Korea’s Kim Jong in the quarter-finals (9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9).
An impressive performance by Chen Meng; en route to the final it was the same from Zhu Yuling. She overcame Korea’s Yang Haeun in the round of the last eight (11-4, 11-6, 11-9, 11-8), before booking her place in the final courtesy of success against DPR Korea’s Ri Myong Sun (11-6, 17-15, 13-11, 9-11, 11-9). Together Apart in the Women’s Singles; Chen Meng and Zhu Yuling were very much together in both the Women’s Doubles and Women’s Team events.
Victorious over colleagues, Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen, in the final of the Women’s Doubles event at the Asian Championships in Busan in June; they overcame Korea’s Park Youngsook and Yang Haeun in the Tianjin final (11-7, 11-3, 6-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7), having one round earlier extinguished the hopes of DPR Korea’s Kim Jong and Kim Hye Song (11-8, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8). In the counterpart semi-final, Park Youngsook and Yang Haeun had overcome Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching and Huang Yi-Hua (11-3, 12-10, 11-4, 12-10). Women’s Team Gold Success in the Women’s Doubles event followed success in the Women’s Team competition, where in the final, with Wu Yang, Chen Meng and Zhu Yuling on duty, a three-nil win had been posted against the Japanese trio of Ai Fukuhara, Sayaka Hirano and Kasumi Ishikawa.
Wu Yang beat Kasumi Ishikawa (14-12, 11-8, 13-11), Chen Meng overcame Ai Fukuhara (11-5, 11-3, 11-2), before Zhu Yuling concluded matters by defeating Sayaka Hirano (11-3, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6).
Seo Hyowon Caused Problems A comprehensive victory in the final but the successful Chinese outfit had experienced problems at the semi-final stage in opposition to Korea.
Seo Hyowon beat Zhu Yuling in the opening match of the contest (13-11, 4-11, 12-14, 11-3, 11-9), before Wu Yang overcame Yang Haeun (11-2, 11-7, 11-9) and Seo Hyowon (14-12, 11-5, 11-5) to guide China to the final. The one other Chinese success came in the third match of the fixture; Chen Meng beat Seok Hajung (11-6, 11-1, 11-7).
Backbone of Victory In the counterpart Women’s Team semi-final, Japan had beaten Hong Kong with Kasumi Ishikawa being the backbone of success.
She overcame Lee Ho Ching (13-11, 11-8, 11-8) and Jiang Huajun (11-6, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8) in a three-one victory.
The one remaining success for Japan came from Ai Fukuhara in the opening match of the fixture; she beat Jiang Huajun (11-4, 11-5, 7-11, 9-11, 11-4). The one success for Hong Kong was secured by Ng Wing Nam, in the third duel of the contest; she defeated Sayaka Hirano (11-2, 11-5, 7-11, 7-11, 12-10).