22 TUESDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2007 SPORTSCHINA DAILY

Guo Yue, winner of three ITTF Pro Tour tournament titles this year, is considered one of the best of a new generation of Young paddlers Chinese players. Xinhua pile pressure on veteran stars

the quarterfinals have been Competition for places on scratched, with instead four round-robin groups that will 2008 Olympic team heats up as yield the four semifi nalists. Many believe the changes are youngsters rise to the challenge aimed at limiting China’s domi- nance, but Liu believes they By Zhao Rui who clinched the Open won’t make any difference. in January. “I don’t care if changes are “We will try hard to push designed for us, it doesn’t both- World No 1s Liqin and the veterans,” said Hao. “All of er us that much,” he said. “No are widely consid- us are fi ghting for spots at the matter how the format changes, ered shoe-ins for spots on China’s Olympics and I think I our goal is to fi nish at the top table tennis team for the 2008 have a chance of getting one.” of the group and then become Beijing , but both champion. paddlers know that this could not Tough road “On the other hand, we have be further from the truth. Head coach Liu says his to play as solidly as we can With less than 18 months target for the Games is crystal and try to win all round-robin until the Games start, a crop clear – sweeping all four gold matches at the Games. That’s a of emerging youngsters are medals very big requirement for us.” cranking up the pressure on The Table Tennis Adminis- According to Liu, six players the veteran duo. trative Centre, led by Liu and – world top three , The new generation, led by and Wang Hao, as well 18-year-old and Guo as teenagers , Chen Yue, 19, have dominated com- All of us are fi ghting Qi and Ma Long - will be in the petition so far in 2007, in the men’s Olympic team, but only process proving their status as for spots at the three of them will compete. legitimate medal contenders. Beijing Olympics On the women’s side, world No “This is no surprise,” said 1 Zhang, veteran , Guo national team head coach Liu and I think I have a Yue, and will Guoliang. “The rising young chance of getting be fi ghting for the places. players keep on putting a lot one. China has long been a force of pressure on the world title in table tennis, but dominance holders. That’s a reason why HAO SHUAI reached a peak in the late 1990s China is a success in the world Table tennis player when the team swept all titles at of table tennis.” the Atlanta and Games, Ma outclassed Wang Liqin as well as the 2000 World and world No 2 Wang Hao to women’s coach , has Championships in Tianjin. win his fi rst ever International even signed a letter of guaranty The ITTF became concerned Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) with the State General Admin- that China’s dominance was Offi cial: We must do more to nurture talent trophy at the Kuwait Open in istration for Sports promising effecting the international By Li Wei national team head coach. the situation is different now. I their time at the table.” January. Meanwhile his wom- a sweep. competitiveness of the game, “With the joint efforts of cannot see any youngsters like “That’s a reason behind our en’s teammate Guo has pock- “Whenever we come to a tour- and in 2000 they stepped in professional staff and re- Wang Liqin and Ma Lin, who move: Get young players to eted three out of four titles in nament, gold medals are what we with new rules enlarging the On top of the world and deter- nowned universities, we want really shocked me when I saw the table and guarantee them 2007 in Slovenia, Croatia and chase the most. The Olympics is ball and slowing the speed of mined to stay there, China’s to get more kids and families them in their early careers.” the country’s best education. Kuwait respectively, beating no exception,” said Liu. “To clinch play, one of the Chinese players’ table tennis chief Zhenhua involved and show them they China’s traditional training I think this is best idea that I Olympic gold medalist all the golds is not only the dream biggest advantages. is not about to rest on his have a chance to compete for system sees children going could come up with.” Zhang Yining twice this year. of Chinese players and coaches, These changes appeared laurels. the national team.” through State-funded amateur According to Cai, the Chi- Despite winning six ITTF it’s our responsibility. I know to make little difference as Facing an increasing chal- Despite China’s dominance sports schools and provincial nese Table Tennis Association titles in 2006, 28-year-old the whole country has very high China won all medals at the lenge from European and of the sport, Cai believes the teams before joining the na- (CTTA) is in talks with Peking Wang Liqin has struggled to expectations, but we don’t have 2001 World Championships Asian rivals, Cai plans to team quality of young players is tional side for international University and Beijing Universi- deal with the challenge from any excuses for missing out on in Japan. In response, the ITTF up with the country’s leading declining. tournaments. But Cai says the ty of Physical Education, as well younger teammates and has a gold when the Olympics is on introduced shorter 11-point universities in a bid to attract China lost to South Korea in three-level pyramid doesn’t as universities in . failed to win an ITTF title so our doorstep.” games and, crucially, a ban on more youngsters into profes- the Asian Youth Championships work as well as before, and The CTTA has had strong far this year. However, format changes by the “covered serves” used by sional table tennis. last year and his paddlers only expects the new institutes to links with universities in re- Added to this, he has yet to the International Olympic Com- the Chinese players. “We are going to cooperate narrowly won the team title at solve the problem. cent years. The Grand Final of confi rm his spot at the World mittee (IOC) are sure to make Then world No 1 Liu was with a number of universities the Three-Nation (with Japan “Very few parents want to the International Table Tennis Championships this year in Liu’s mission harder. forced to retire after failing to establish table tennis train- and South Korea) Challenger. send their kids to professional Federation (ITTF) was held in , Croatia, after finish- Men’s and women’s team to adapt to the new serving re- ing centers on campus. We call “This is where the problem teams because it’s very risky the Capital Institute of Physi- ing fourth in the team’s fi rst events will replace the doubles, quirements, and at the Athens them ‘ping pong institutes’,” lies. We have fewer and fewer for families,” he said. “The most cal Education in 2004, with a internal qualifi cation tourna- which China had won each time Games in 2004 Rye Seung-min said Cai, assistant to the direc- promising athletes,” Cai said. talented kids will not play table number of exhibition matches ment. That event was won by since the Seoul Games in 1988. of South Korea won the men’s tor of China’s General Sports “We used to have the best re- tennis because they have other staged in universities around Hao Shuai, an emerging star In the new team event . Administration and former serves of talent in the world, but options and won’t spend all the country. SCOREBOARD

SOCCER Standings Reggina 8 7 9 29 33 20 Toronto 31 25 .554 - Eastern conference 69-69-63-72 Belgian league W D L Gf Ga Pts Messina 4 8 12 24 39 20 New Jersey 27 30 .474 4 1/2 Atlantic division 274 - Kevin Stadler 66-69-71-68, Jeff BRUSSELS: Belgian league results on Schalke 04 15 4 4 40 22 49 Parma 3 7 14 20 43 16 NY Knicks 25 32 .439 6 1/2 W L Otl Gf Ga Pts Sluman 67-70-69-68, Pat Perez 71-69-65- Sunday: VfB Stuttgart 13 6 4 41 26 45 Ascoli 2 8 14 18 38 14 Philadelphia 18 38 .321 13 New Jersey 39 18 6 170 149 84 69, Alejandro Canizares (ESP) 68-68-69-69, Lokeren 1 Anderlecht 1 Werder Bremen 13 4 6 55 32 43 Spanish league Boston 13 42 .236 17 1/2 Pittsburgh 33 19 9 211 193 75 Mark Brooks 69-65-68-72 Zulte-Waregem 3 Ghent 2 Bayern Munich 12 4 7 35 27 40 MADRID: Spanish league results on Central division NY Islanders 31 23 8 183 174 70 ... Nuremberg 8 12 3 32 19 36 Sunday: Detroit 36 19 .655 - NY Rangers 29 27 6 180 178 64 275 - Paul Gow (AUS) 68-68-72-67, Steve English Premiership Hertha Berlin 9 7 7 33 35 34 Cleveland 32 24 .571 4 1/2 Philadelphia 16 37 9 161 235 41 Elkington (AUS) 69-71-69-66 LONDON: English Premiership results on Real Betis 0 Recreativo Huelva 0 Hanover 9 6 8 32 34 33 Celta Vigo 2 (Baiano 27-pen, Bamogo 35) Chicago 32 26 .552 5 1/2 Northeast division 276 - Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR) 71-63-70-72 Sunday: Bayer Leverkusen 9 5 9 36 34 32 Indiana 29 26 .527 7 Buffalo 41 16 5 234 182 87 277 - Ryuji Imada (JPN) 70-66-72-70, Jim Blackburn 3 (Nonda 1, 25, Warnock 50) Racing Santander 2 (Munitis 59, Christian Dortmund 7 7 9 27 32 28 Alvarez 79-pen) Milwaukee 20 37 .351 17 Ottawa 36 22 4 215 171 76 Rutledge (CAN) 69-71-67-70 Portsmouth 0 Mainz 05 6 9 8 21 33 27 Southeast division Montreal 32 26 6 186 192 70 278 - Jarrod Lyle (AUS) 72-65-71-70, Tottenham 4 (Keane 11, 22, Jenas 19, Len- Levante 0 Real Zaragoza 0 VfL Wolfsburg 5 10 8 23 28 25 Osasuna 0 Espanyol 2 (Coro 12, Raul Washington 31 23 .574 - Toronto 30 23 9 198 200 69 Daisuke Maruyama (JPN) 71-67-70-70, non 90) Bolton 1 (Speed 37-pen) Energie Cottbus 6 7 10 25 32 25 Miami 27 28 .491 4 1/2 Boston 30 27 4 178 221 64 Jesper Parnevik (SWE) 69-67-73-69 Wigan 1 (Taylor 40) Newcastle 0 Tamudo 65) Hamburg 4 12 7 27 27 24 Getafe 0 Sevilla 0 Orlando 27 30 .474 5 1/2 Southeast division 279 - Nathan Green (AUS) 72-65-70-72, Standings Alemannia Aachen 6 6 11 35 44 24 Charlotte 22 34 .393 10 Tampa Bay 36 25 3 206 196 75 Esteban Toledo (MEX) 66-70-72-71 W D L Gf Ga Pts Villarreal 2 (Tomasson 37, Fuentes 89) Real VfL Bochum 6 6 11 27 36 24 Mallorca 1 (Pereya 26) Atlanta 22 34 .393 10 Atlanta 31 23 10 193 204 72 280 - Anders Hansen (DEN) 69-71-68-72 Man United 22 3 3 65 19 69 Arminia Bielefeld 5 8 10 28 31 23 Western conference Carolina 32 25 7 193 198 71 281 - Steve Allan (AUS) 72-67-72-70 Chelsea 18 6 3 48 19 60 Gimnastic Tarragona 1 (Ruben Castro Eintr. Frankfurt 4 11 8 28 42 23 90+2) Valencia 1 (Joaquin 62) Northwest division Florida 24 26 13 180 202 61 282 - Graeme McDowell (NIR) 67-70-72-73 Liverpool 16 5 7 44 19 53 M’gladbach 5 6 12 18 29 21 Utah 37 18 .673 - Washington 24 29 10 188 219 58 288 - Grant Waite (NZL) 71-69-72-76 Arsenal 14 7 5 48 22 49 Barcelona 3 (Amorebieta 22-og, Xavi 29, Portuguese league Eto’o 40) Athletic Bilbao 0 Denver 26 28 .481 10 1/2 Western conference WGC World Match Play Champion- Bolton 14 5 9 33 32 47 Minnesota 26 30 .464 11 1/2 Central division Reading 13 4 11 42 36 43 LISBON: Portuguese football results on Standings ship Sunday: W D L Gf Ga Ps Portland 24 33 .421 14 Nashville 42 18 4 219 164 88 TUCSON, Arizona: Final scores on Sunday Everton 11 9 8 36 25 42 Seattle 21 34 .382 16 Detroit 39 16 8 195 155 86 Portsmouth 11 8 9 36 29 41 Vitoria Setubal 1 Nacional Madeira 1 Barcelona 14 7 3 49 20 49 in the WGC Match Play Championship at Beira Mar 0 FC Porto 5 Sevilla 14 5 5 44 22 47 Pacifi c division St. Louis 26 27 9 161 190 61 Gallery Golf Club: Tottenham 11 6 11 36 40 39 Phoenix 43 13 .768 - Columbus 24 32 7 156 197 55 Blackburn 11 4 13 33 38 37 Italian league Valencia 13 4 7 35 23 43 Championship match (36 holes) Real Madrid 13 4 7 31 20 43 LA Lakers 32 25 .561 11 1/2 Chicago 23 30 9 154 186 55 Henrik Stenson (SWE) bt Geoff Ogilvy Newcastle 10 6 12 34 37 36 ROME: Italian league results on Sunday: LA Clippers 26 29 .473 16 1/2 Northwest division Middlesbrough 9 8 11 32 34 35 Livorno 0 Ascoli 0 Atletico Madrid 11 7 6 30 21 40 (AUS) 2 and 1 Real Zaragoza 11 6 7 35 24 39 Golden State 26 31 .456 17 1/2 Vancouver 36 21 5 164 156 77 Third place match (18 holes) Aston Villa 7 11 9 28 33 32 Fiorentina 2 (Mutu 27, Toni 75) Empoli 0 Minnesota 35 23 5 181 161 75 Recreativo Huelva 11 4 9 33 30 37 Sacramento 24 31 .436 18 1/2 Trevor Immelman (RSA) bt Chad Campbell Fulham 7 11 10 30 43 32 Messina 1 (Alvarez 90+3) Siena 0 Calgary 32 21 9 200 169 73 Getafe 10 6 8 21 16 36 Southwest division (USA) 4 and 2 Man City 8 6 12 20 32 30 Catania 2 (Spinesi 65, Corona 74) Inter Edmonton 30 27 6 172 182 66 Espanyol 9 8 7 26 25 35 Dallas 46 9 .836 - Sheff United 8 6 14 24 40 30 Milan 5 (Samuel 45, Solari 49, F. Grosso 57, San Antonio 38 18 .679 8 1/2 Colorado 29 29 5 205 205 63 TENNIS Wigan 8 5 15 29 44 29 Ibrahimovic 67, Julio Cruz 78) Racing Santander 8 9 7 26 29 33 Pacifi c division Deportivo La Coruna 8 9 7 19 25 33 Houston 35 20 .636 11 ATP and WTA Memphis Charlton 6 5 17 24 47 23 Udinese 3 (Di Natale 41, 68-pen, Obodo 84) N.O./ Oklahoma City 27 29 .482 19 1/2 Anaheim 36 17 10 201 165 82 Villarreal 9 5 10 22 30 32 San Jose 38 23 1 187 159 77 MEMPHIS, Tennesse: Result on Sunday West Ham 5 5 18 18 46 20 Parma 3 (Budan 8, Parravicini 78, Rossi Memphis 15 42 .263 32 Osasuna 9 3 12 30 31 30 Dallas 37 21 3 165 146 77 from the ATP and WTA tournament (x Watford 3 10 15 16 41 19 86-pen) Tuesday, February 27 Real Betis 6 9 9 23 28 27 Phoenix 26 32 3 163 209 55 denotes seed): Final: Tommy Haas (GER x2) English League Cup Final Cagliari 0 Lazio 2 (Cribari 21, Rocchi 34) Levante 6 9 9 21 31 27 Sacramento at Philadelphia Los Angeles 21 32 10 178 219 52 bt Andy Roddick (US) 6-3, 6-2 CARDIFF: Result of the League Cup Final Roma 3 (Tavano 55, Mexes 65, Panucci 90) Miami at NY Knicks Celta Vigo 6 8 10 26 34 26 Monday, February 26 Bogota WTA at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday: Reggina 0 Denver at Memphis Real Mallorca 7 5 12 22 35 26 Atlanta at Boston BOGOTA: Result of the WTA tournament Arsenal 1 (Walcott 12) Chelsea 2 (Drogba AC Milan 1 (Ambrosini 90) Sampdoria 0 Toronto at San Antonio Standings Athletic Bilbao 6 7 11 26 34 25 Toronto at Montreal here on Sunday: Final: Roberta Vinci (ITA 20, 84) Orlando at Chicago Phoenix at Calgary W D L Gf Ga Pts Real Sociedad 2 8 14 13 31 14 x6) bt Tathiana Garbin (ITA x1) 6-7 (4/7), French league Atlanta at Dallas Inter Milan 21 3 0 54 19 66 Gimnastic Tarragona 3 5 16 25 48 14 GOLF 6-4, 0-3 retired PARIS: French league results on Sunday: Boston at Houston Roma 16 4 4 49 18 52 Buenos Aires Open Lens 2 (Dindane 17, Se. Keita 24-pen) NBA LA Lakers at Utah US PGA Mayakoba Classic Palermo 13 5 7 41 30 44 BUENOS AIRES: Result from the ATP Nancy 2 (Fortune 6, Hadji 90) NEW YORK: NBA results on Sunday (home Portland at Seattle CANCUN, Mexico: Leading scores here Lazio 11 7 6 37 18 37 Buenos Aires Open here on Sunday: Final: Bordeaux 2 (Fernando 24-pen, Jussie 44) team in CAPS). Charlotte at LA Clippers Sunday from the fi nal round of the US AC Milan 12 8 4 33 21 36 PGA Tour’s Mayakoba Classic (USA unless Juan Monaco (ARG) bt Alessio di Mauro Valenciennes 1 (Dossevi 83) DETROIT 95 Chicago 93 Empoli 9 8 7 21 21 35 Houston 97 ORLANDO 93 NHL noted, Funk wins playoff): (ITA) 6-1, 6-2 Paris Saint Germain 0 Saint-Etienne 2 Fiorentina 14 4 6 38 21 31 NEW YORK: NHL results on Sunday MIAMI 86 Cleveland 81 266 - Fred Funk 62-69-64-71, Jose Coceres Rotterdam Open (Perquis 32, Ilan 45) Atalanta 7 10 7 38 34 31 New Jersey 3 WASHINGTON 2 (ARG) 67-65-65-69 MINNESOTA 98 Washington 94 ROTTERDAM, Netherlands: Result from German league Udinese 8 7 9 28 32 31 MINNESOTA 4 Edmonton 1 267 - Peter Lonard (AUS) 65-68-67-67 NEW JERSEY 101 NY Knicks 92 the seventh and fi nal day of the Rotterdam BERLIN: German league result here on Catania 8 7 10 33 45 31 CHICAGO 5 St. Louis 1 268 - Ryan Armour 68-65-69-66 LA Lakers 102 GOLDEN STATE 85 Open on Sunday: Final: Mikhail Youzhny Sunday: Sampdoria 8 6 10 31 31 30 DALLAS 2 Vancouver 1 (OT) 269 - Bill Haas 66-66-70-67 Phoenix 115 ATLANTA 106 (RUS) bt Ivan Ljubicic (CRO x3) 6-2, 6-4. Borussia Moenchengladbach 2 (Delura 17, Livorno 6 9 9 24 35 27 TAMPA BAY 5 Pittsburgh 1 270 - Boo Weekley 64-67-70-69 Sacramento 110 INDIANA 93 271 - Cameron Beckman 64-67-69-71 Nando 90) Werder Bremen 2 (Wome 11, Siena 5 11 8 23 29 25 Standings Nashville 4 COLUMBUS 3 (SO) 272 - Stephen Marino 68-68-69-67 Vranjes 84) ANAHEIM 5 Colorado 3 Cagliari 4 11 9 18 28 23 Eastern conference 273 - Larry Mize 71-66-71-65, Brendon To comment or alert us to a story, Schalke 04 0 Bayer Leverkusen 1 Chievo 5 7 12 25 33 22 Atlantic division (Compiled by Infostrada Sports) De Jonge (ZIM) 69-71-68-65, Gavin e-mail [email protected] (Kiessling 85) Torino 5 7 12 18 34 22 W L PCT GB Standings Coles (AUS) 69-66-70-68, Skip Kendall