February 23, 2009
Qatar Open: Timo Boll Wins Dramatic Final
 Timo Boll, the 2009 Men's Singles champion in Qatar. Photo By: Ayoade Ademakinwa |
Courtesy of ITTF The contest went the full seven games distance with both players saving two match points each before Boll, at his third attempt, secured victory. |
It was the German’s second win of the day in seven games over Chinese opposition; at the semi-final stage he had recovered from a three games to one deficit to beat Hao Shuai.
Boll’s success robbed Ma Lin of creating history at the Qatar Open; he had won in 2007 and 2008 but no player in the history of the tournament had ever won three times. In 2009 he came so close, so very close.
Alongside colleague Wang Liqin, Croatia’s Zoran Primorac and Belgium’s Jean-Michel Saive, he remains with two Men’s Singles titles.
Defeat for China but in the other three events, determined on the concluding day of play, it was success for the country that leads the world in the sport of table tennis.
 Zhang Yining, once again the Golden Girl in Qatar. Photo By: Ayoade Ademakinwa |  Guo Yue and Zhang Yining retained their Women's Doubles title in Doha. Photo By: Ayoade Ademakinwa |
Zhang Yining, the reigning Olympic champion, beat compatriot Guo Yue in the Women’s Singles final, having earlier partnered her colleague to success in the Women’s Doubles event.
They beat teenagers Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen in the final.
Meanwhile in the Men’s Doubles it was also Chinese domination. In an all China final, Ma Long and Xu Xin beat Hao Shuai and Wang Liqin.
Men's Singles
SF: MA Lin (CHN) bt WANG Liqin (CHN) 4-0 (11-9,11-6,11-2,11-8,-,-,-)
SF: BOLL Timo (GER) bt HAO Shuai (CHN) 4-3 (7-11,10-12,11-6,9-11,11-6,11-5,11-8)
F:BOLL Timo (GER) bt MA Lin (CHN) 4-3 (6-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-7, 5-11, 6-11, 14-12)
Women's Singles
SF: ZHANG Yining (CHN) bt LIU Shiwen (CHN) 4-2 (8-11,13-11,11-5,11-13,11-9,11-7,-)
SF: GUO Yue (CHN) bt PARK Mi Young (KOR) 4-0 (11-6,11-6,11-7,11-8,-,-,-)
F:ZHANG Yining (CHN) bt GUO Yue (CHN) 4-0 (11-6,11-2,11-6,11-9,-,-,-)
Men's Doubles
SF: HAO Shuai (CHN) / WANG Liqin (CHN) bt CHEN Qi (CHN) / MA Lin (CHN) 4-1 (7-11,14-12,11-9,11-7,11-4,-,- )
SF: MA Long (CHN) / XU Xin (CHN) bt KAN Yo (JPN) / MIZUTANI Jun (JPN) 4-0 (11-6,11-9,11-9,11-4,-,-,- )
F:MA Long (CHN) / XU Xin (CHN) bt HAO Shuai (CHN) / WANG Liqin (CHN) 4-1 (4-11,11-9,11-6,11-8,11-7,-,-)
Women's Doubles
SF: GUO Yue (CHN) / ZHANG Yining (CHN) bt FUJII Hiroko (JPN) / ISHIKAWA Kasumi (JPN) 4-2 (11-6,11-8,15-17,11-5,8-11,11-7,-)
SF: DING Ning (CHN) / LIU Shiwen (CHN) bt LEE Eun Hee (KOR) / MOON Hyun Jung (KOR) 4-0 (11-6,11-2,11-2,11-7,-,-,-)
F:GUO Yue (CHN) / ZHANG Yining (CHN) bt DING Ning (CHN) / LIU Shiwen (CHN) 4-1 (11-3,11-2,11-4,11-13,12-10,-,- )
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