Olympic Media Notes: Thursday 5th August Day 12 Highlights: Wednesday 4th August Women’s Team: Semi-Final China (1) 3-0 Germany (3) Notably, China selected the team so that Chen Meng (CHN), women’s singles gold medallist earlier in the tournament, played two matches. She partnered Wang Manyu (CHN) to doubles success in the opening contest against Shan Xiaona and Petrissa Solja (GER), the reigning European champions (11-9, 11-2, 11-4). Later in the third match of the fixture, she beat Petrissa Solja (GER) to conclude matters (5-11, 11-4, 11-9, 13-11). Sun Yingsha (CHN) overcame the defensive skills of Han Ying (CHN) in the second match of the fixture (11-6, 11-4, 11-9). Men’s Team: Semi-Final China (1) 3-0 Korea Republic (4) China retained the doubles partnership of earlier rounds, Ma Long and Xu Xin (CHN) joining forces to beat Jeoung Youngsik and Lee Sangsu (KOR) in straight games (11-5, 11-5, 11-8). Fan Zhendong (CHN) followed suit. He overcame Jan Woojin (KOR) to double the advantage (11-7, 11-9, 16-14). Straight games wins in the opening matches, in the third life was more testing for Ma Long (CHN), he had to stave off a spirited recovery by Lee Sangsu (KOR), eventually winning in five games (11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 13-15, 11-6). Men’s Team: Semi-Final Germany (2) v Japan (3) Germany selected Timo Boll and Patrick Franziska (GER) for the doubles; somewhat surprisingly, Japan chose the two left-handers, Jun Mizutani and Koki Niwa (JPN). Timo Boll and Patrick Franziska (GER) won the opening two games with ease. Still, they then had to withstand a spirited recovery from Jun Mizutani and Koki Niwa (JPN) before succeeding in five games (11-2, 11-3, 9-11, 8-11, 11-7). Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) beat Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) to level matters (7-11, 13-11, 11-5, 11-9); Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) has now won four of the eight meetings in the world ranking events against Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) and two out of three this year. In March, he lost when the pair met at the WTT Contender Series tournament in Doha. Immediately following, he prevailed at the WTT Star Contender Series event. Timo Boll (GER) overcame Jun Mizutani (JPN), recovering from an opening game deficit (7-11, 13-11, 11-7, 11-7) to give Germany the lead. It is the third time when Timo Boll (GER) and Jun Mizutani (JPN) have met at the semi-final stage of an Olympic Games men’s team event. In Beijing (2008), Timo Boll (GER) won. In Rio de Janeiro (2016), the verdict went in favour of Jun Mizutani (JPN). Fighting for the cause, Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) recovered from a two games to nil deficit to beat Patrick Franziska (GER) in a tension-packed contest to level proceedings (5-11, 9-11, 11- 5, 11-9, 11-9). The previous day in the same situation against Chinese Taipei, with matters in the overall fixture level, Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) had beaten Chuang Chih-Yuan (TPE). He followed suit with a further second repeat act. In the fourth round of the men’s singles, Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) had beat Koki Niwa (JPN). He did the same again to guide Germany to the final. He prevailed in straight games (11-9, 11-7, 11-8). Page 1 Looking Ahead 11.00 Women’s Team Bronze Medal: Germany (Han Ying, Shan Xiaona, Petrissa Solja) v Hong Kong China (Doo Hoi Kem, Lee Ho Ching, Minnie Soo Wai Yam) Germany occupies the no.3 seeded position, Hong Kong China, the no.4 spot Undoubtedly both teams will continue with the doubles format of previous fixtures; Shan Xiaona and Petrissa Solja (GER) for Germany, Lee Ho Ching and Minnie Soo Wai Yam (HKG) for Hong Kong. The balance in that contest favours Shan Xiaona and Petrissa Solja (GER); they are the European champions; Lee Ho Ching and Minnie Soo Wai Yam (HKG) have no such record. Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) could well meet the backspin skills of Han Ying (GER) in the second match; Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) is remarkably consistent but not powerful. A defender is not her favourite opponent. The odds favour Han Ying (HKG), who prevailed in four straight games at the ITTF World Tour 2014 German Open, the only previous time they have met internationally. 19.30 Women’s Team Gold Medal: China (Chen Meng, Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu) v Japan (Miu Hirano, Kasumi Ishikawa, Mima Ito) The top two seeded teams meet, China the top seeds, Japan, the no.2 seeds. In the quarter and semi-final fixtures, Chen Meng (CHN) partnered Wang Manyu (CHN) in the doubles; China may well continue this policy as it may enable Chen Meng (CHN) to play in the third match. Undoubtedly Japan will continue with Miu Hirano and Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN); they are hitherto unbeaten. Should those pairings accrue, in the second match of the fixture Sun Yingsha (CHN) will face Mima Ito (JPN); earlier in the women’s singles semi-final, Sun Yingsha (CHN) beat Mima Ito (JPN) in four straight games. Since the 2014 Asian Junior and Cadet Championships, Sun Yingsha (CHN) has won seven of the nine meetings on the international stage against Mima Ito (JPN). Memorably, Miu Hirano (JPN) beat Chen Meng (CHN) in the women’s singles final at the 2017 Asian Championships, but in five meetings in world ranking events, it is the only time she has won. Event Fast Facts The medal fixtures are now known. Women’s Team – bronze: Germany (3) versus Hong Kong China (4) Women’s Team – gold: China (1) versus Japan (2) Men’s Team – bronze: Japan (3) versus Korea Republic (4) Men’s Team – gold: China (1) versus Germany (2) Player Fast Facts It is the first time Germany has competed in a women’s team bronze medal match at an Olympic Games. The German team comprising Han Ying (GER), Shan Xiaona (GER) and Petrissa Solja (GER) is the same as the silver winning team in Rio de Janeiro. Germany and Hong Kong have met on two previous occasions in the women’s team event at an Olympic Games. They met in the group stage in Beijing (2008). Hong Kong (Lin Ling, Tie Ya Na, Lau Sui Fei) recorded a 3-0 win against Germany (Zhenqi Barthel, Elke Schall, Wu Jiaduo). Page 2 Later they met at the quarter-final stage in Rio de Janeiro (2016). Germany Han Ying, Shan Xiaona, and Petrissa Solja) recorded a 3-1 win against Hong Kong (Doo Hoi Kem, Lee Ho Ching, Tie Yana). It is the first time Hong Kong has competed in a women’s team medal match in an Olympic Games; they finished in fifth place in Beijing (2008), before being quarter-finalists in both London (2012) and Rio de Janeiro (2016). Lee Ho Ching (HKG) is competing in her third Olympic Games. She made her debut in London (2012). Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) made her first Olympic Games appearance in Rio de Janeiro (2016). Minnie Soo Wai Yan (HKG) is on debut. In the women’s team event, China has always won gold. China has never lost a single individual match in the women’s team event at an Olympic Games. Since the women’s team event was introduced in Beijing (2008), they have won every fixture 3- 0; the overall record in individual matches reads 39-0. The Chinese women’s team (Chen Meng, Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu) are all on Olympic Games debut. Since the women’s team event was introduced in Beijing (2008), Japan has always contested a medal in every Olympic Games. They were fourth in Beijing (2008), silver in London (2012), bronze in Rio de Janeiro (2016). Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) competed in London (2012) and Rio de Janeiro (2016). She maintains her record of when competing in the Olympic Games consistently winning a medal. Mima Ito (JPN) was present in Rio de Janeiro. In Tokyo, she has won mixed doubles gold (Jun Mizutani) and women’s singles bronze; when play concludes in the women’s team event, overall, she will have four Olympic Games medals to her name. She is only 20 years old. Miu Hirano (JPN) is on Olympic Games debut but won silver medals in the women’s singles and mixed team event (Tomokazu Harimoto) at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games. Matches to Watch 11.00 Women’s Team Bronze Medal: Germany (3) v Hong Kong (4) 19.30 Women’s Team Gold Medal: China (1) v Japan (2) Page 3 .