Olympic Media Notes: Friday 6th August Day 13 Highlights: Thursday 5th August Women’s Team: Bronze Medal Hong Kong China (4) 3-1 Germany (3) A canny change of plan reaped success for Hong Kong. Previously Lee Ho Ching and Minnie Soo Wain Yam (HKG) had formed the doubles partnership; in the bronze medal encounter against Germany, Lee Ho Ching (HKG) paired with Doo Hoi Kem (HKG). It meant that Minnie Soo Wai Yam (HKG) would play the potential two singles matches. Significantly, in the second match, she would oppose the defensive skills of Han Ying (GER), a player Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) would have faced if continuing with the previous doubles order. Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) does not relish playing defenders. The Hong Kong coaches could be reasonably sure that the only doubles option for Germany was Shan Xiaona and Petrissa Solja (GER); neither was suited to complement Han Ying’s style of play, and they are the reigning European champions. Doo Hoi Kem and Lee Ho Ching (HKG) lost to Shan Xiaona and Petrissa Solja (8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 15-13). In the second match of the fixture, Minnie Soo Wai Yam (HKG) overcame the backspin skills of Han Ying (GER) in four games (12-10, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7) to turn the tide. Time and again, Germany has relied on Han Ying (GER) winning both her singles matches; for Germany, it was a significant blow. Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) proved too consistent for Petrissa Solja (GER), winning in straight games (11-5, 11-6, 11-9). Minnie Soo Wai Yam (HKG) beat Shan Xiaona (GER) to end matters (12-10, 13-11, 11-7). It is the second-ever medal won by Hong Kong in the table tennis events at an Olympic Games, the previous was in Athens (2004) when Ko Lai Chak and Li Ching (HKG) won bronze. Li Ching (CHN) is the Hong Kong women’s team coach. Women’s Team: Gold Medal China (1) 3-0 Japan (2) Again Li Sun, the Chinese national coach, elected to field Chen Meng and Wang Manyu (CHN) in the doubles; notably, he showed confidence in Wang Manyu (CHN) competing in her first Olympic Games. She was selected to play in two of the first three matches. They beat Kasumi Ishikawa and Miu Hirano (JPN) in four games (9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7). Perhaps more pertinently, well aware that Mima Ito (JPN) is considered the greatest threat to China, it meant she would face Sun Yingsha (CHN) in the second match. Earlier in the tournament, Sun Yingsha (CHN) had overcome Mima Ito (JPN) at the semi-final stage of the women’s singles event (11-3, 11-9, 11-6, 11-4). Sun Yingsha duly obliged and repeated the feat (11-8, 11-5, 3-11, 11-3). Wang Manyu (CHN), increasingly adjusted to the Olympic stage, accounted for Miu Hirano (CHN) to end matters (11-5, 11-9, 11-3). It was the third time when Wang Manyu (CHN) had met Miu Hirano (JPN) on the international stage, the third time she had won. Page 1 Looking Ahead 11.00 Men’s Team Bronze Medal: Japan (Tomokazu Harimoto, Jun Mizutani, Koki Niwa) v Korea Republic (Jang Woojin, Jeoung Youngsik, Lee Sangsu) Japan occupies the no.3 seeded position, Korea Republic, the no.4 spot The Korea Republic holds the upper hand in the doubles. Dating back to 2013 in Poland, they have won six ITTF World Tour men’s doubles titles. Whatever the selection, Japan does not have a partnership to match. In the semi-finals, Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) beat both Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) and Patrick Franziska (GER); he starts favourite against any member of the Korea Republic team. Lee Sangsu (KOR) pushed Ma Long (CHN) to go the full five games distance at the semi-final stage. Jeoung Youngsik (KOR) has shown consistent form throughout the tournament; notably, he beat Timo Boll (GER) to reach the quarter-finals of the men’s singles where lost to Fan Zhendong (CHN). Jang Woojin (KOR) lost to Hugo Calderano (BRA) in the men’s singles but then avenged the defeat in the men’s team; on his Olympic Games debut. He appears to be playing better and better. Jun Mizutani and Koki Niwa (JPN) each lost their singles matches against Germany; Jun Mizutani when facing Timo Boll (GER), Koki Niwa (JPN) in opposition to Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER). Can they respond against the Korean Republic? 19.30 Men’s Team Gold Medal: China (Fan Zhendong, Ma Long, Xu Xin) v Germany (Timo Boll, Patrick Franziska, Dimitrij Ovtcharov) The top two seeded teams meet, China the top seeds, Germany, the no.2 seeds. China holds the upper hand. Both teams will undoubtedly continue with the same doubles pairings as earlier in the tournament, for China, Ma Long and Xu Xin, for Germany Timo Boll and Patrick Franziska. In addition to being crowned world champions in 2011 in Rotterdam, Ma Long and Xu Xin own ten ITTF World Tour men’s doubles titles. Patrick Franziska and Timo Boll (GER) have won three times. Fan Zhendong (CHN) may well confront Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) in the second match of the fixture, with the German proving himself a worthy opponent more than once. Fan Zhendong (CHN) has won three of their five matches at international level. Patrick Franziska (GER) beat Fan Zhendong (CHN) at the 2019 ITTF World Tour Australian Open but has lost their other two encounters. Fan Zhendong (CHN) has won all nine international meetings against Timo Boll (GER). Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) lost to Ma Long (CHN) by the narrowest of margins at the semi-final stage of the men’s singles in Tokyo; it was their 19th meeting, and the 19th time Ma Long has prevailed. Ma Long (CHN) has beaten Timo Boll (GER) in 16 of their 20 meetings in world ranking events; against Patrick Franziska (GER), he has won both encounters. Page 2 In eight international encounters, Xu Xin (CHN) has just one defeat when opposing Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) against his name in world ranking events and just one in six when facing Timo Boll (GER). Xu Xin (GER) has won all 10 encounters against Patrick Franziska (GER). Event Fast Facts The final result for the women’s team event: Gold: China Silver: Japan Bronze: Hong Kong China In the men’s team event Bronze medal: Japan (3) versus Korea Republic (4) Gold medal: China (1) versus Germany (2) Player Fast Facts China has always won the men’s team title; the event being introduced in Beijing (2008) China has lost just three matches in the history of the event. In London (2012), in the first round against Russia, Ma Long and Wang Hao (CHN) lost the doubles against Alexey Smirnov and Kirill Skachkov (RUS). Later, Zhang Jike (CHN) was beaten by Timo Boll (GER) at the semi-final stage. In Rio de Janeiro (2016), in the final against Japan, Xu Xin (CHN) lost to Jun Mizutani (JPN). Germany has always won a medal in the men’s team event, silver in Beijing (2008), bronze in both London (2012) and Rio de Janeiro (2016). Timo Boll (GER) and Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) have been ever present. Patrick Franziska (GER) is on debut; in Rio de Janeiro (2016), he was the reserve. Matches to Watch 11.00 Men’s Team Bronze Medal: Japan (3) v Korea Republic (4) 19.30 Men’s Team Gold Medal: China (1) v Germany (2) Page 3 .