The Hindu : Schlager has a fairytale finish

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 26, 2003

Sport

Sport - Table Tennis

Schlager has a fairytale finish

PARIS May 25. Werner Schlager became the first Austrian in 66 years to win the men's singles title at the World table tennis championships when he beat South Korea's unseeded Joo Se-Hyuk 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 12-10, 8-11, 12-10 here on Sunday.

The last Austrian World champion was Richard Bergmann, who clinched his title in 1937. This year was the first time since 1997 that China did not have a male finalist.

Schlager, seeded sixth in the tournament, showed stunning resilience at key moments in his march to a first world crown.

Earlier in the semifinal against China's Kong Linghui, seeded eighth, Schlager survived match point at 11-12 in the final set against the reigning Olympic champion before triumphing 11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 14-12.

In the other semifinal, Se-Hyuk, ranked 66th, had prevented an all-European final when he dominated Greece's ninth-seed Kalinikos Kreanga by 11-5, 3-11, 11-7, 11-8, 12-10.

A fiery encounter between the two right handed attackers had Schlager racing to a 2-1 lead, and the 30-year-old Austrian tightened his grip further when his clinical finishing earned him the fourth set too.

But Kong, the double Olympic champion who was seeking to repeat his 1995 championship success, cut the deficit taking the next 11-8.

The balance of power shifted momentarily from west to east allowing Kong to square the match by taking the sixth set 11-7.

At this point Schlager, as he had done in his quarterfinal win over reigning champion Wang Liqin, raised his game but stout resistance from the opposite end of the table saw the pair neck and neck in the deciding set at 12-12.

On Saturday in the men's doubles final, defending champions Wang Liqin and Yen Sen followed up their 2001 Osaka win with a 11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5 success over compatriots Wang Hao and Kong Linghui.

Nan bitten by political bug

Wang Nan is aiming to do a Sebastian Coe, the British Olympian who turned to a career in politics after he retired from the athletics track, when she finally turns her back on table tennis.

The heroine of Saturday's women's singles at the World championships revealed: "I'm keen on politics, and recently represented Liaoning province as a delegate at a big China Communist Party meeting."

Wang Nan, who with this golden hat-trick has surpassed even the record of her great mentor, Deng Yaping, who `only' won two World championship singles in the 1990s, confessed she has been well and truly bitten by the political bug.

"I feel being a sportswoman can have an impact on your future life. I'll make a decision when I retire but I enjoy being involved in politics and trying to make a difference."

The results:

Men's singles: Final: Werner Schlager (Aut) bt Joo Se-Hyuk (Kor) 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 12-10, 8-11, 12-10. Semifinals: Werner Schlager bt Kong Linghui (Chn) 11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 14-12; Joo Se-Hyuk (Kor) bt Kalinikos Kreanga (Gre) 11-5, 3-11, 11-7, 11-8, 12-10.

Men's doubles (final): Wang Liqin & Yen Sen (Chi) bt Wang Hao & Kong Linghui (Chi) 11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5.

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