WORLD UNIVERSITY CHAMPIONSHIPS-THURSDAY, JULY 6, 2006

WORLD UNIVERSITY CHAMPIONSHIPS-THURSDAY, JULY 6, 2006

Day 4

Today was only the mixed doubles event for the US players. Katherine Wu and Han Xiao, Adam Hugh and Laura Leach, and Shashin Shodhan and Amanda Dubina were the pairings. Pan Lin did not play this event. This was a ratherful unevenful day for the Americans as we all lost our first round matches. Han and Katherine played very well and lost very narrowly 3-1 to a strong European team. Shashin and Amanda lost 3-1 to a Hungarian pair and Adam and Laura had the toughest draw against a Chinese team and lost 3-0.

The team event quarterfinals to finals were played today so today was a good spectating day. We also had fun talking to the Japanese players and other countries' players about table-tennis in their lands. Last night, we talked for 3 hours with the Korean men's team through the Korean translator. China and Taiwan made the finals in the men's team as expected. However, world #10 Chuan Chih-Yuan had to leave for China before this match because his Super League team in China called him to play a match.

WORLD #10 AND TAIWAN'S TOP PLAYER CHUAN CHIH-YUAN WAS CALLED FOR A SUPER LEAGUE MATCH IN CHINA AND COULDN'T PLAY IN THE TEAM FINAL.

Unfortunately, we didn't get to see Chuan in action. China presented 3 of their top young players, Hao Yingchou, Wang Zhen, and Zhang Yiming who are all Chinese National Team Members, in the finals. Hao Yingchou, a defensive player with a killer forehand, opened with a comfortable 3-0 over Wu Chih-Chi who is Taiwan's best young prospect but if you look at his build, it would be difficult to label him as young. Then Wang Zhen, another Chinese chopper, posted a 3-1 win over Chang Yuan-Su and Zhang Yiming steamrolled Taiwan's #3 player who had also lost to Han Xiao and Adam Hugh.

THE PODIUM FOR THE TOP MEN'S TEAM FINISHERS WHERE CHINA REIGNED SUPREME.

The most exciting match, however, was by far, China vs Russia in the women's team finals. The crowd was loud and alive and the Russian girls had strong support. Russia had beaten Taiwan in the semifinals which turned heads. Three of the five matches in the women's finals ended deuce in the fifth with China winning two of the three. One Russian girl was up 9-4 in the fifth against the #1 Chinese girl and in the fifth and final match, was up match point in the fifth, but was unable to pull out either win. She was sobbing into her towel after losing the fifth and final match.

YULIA PROKHOROVA PUTS UP 2 GREAT FIGHTS BUT FALLS SHORT BOTH TIMES BY THE SMALLEST OF MARGINS TO THE #1 AND #2 CHINESE GIRLS.