Hao Shuai upset the formbook to win the Men’s Singles title at the
Panasonic China Open in Shanghai on Sunday 14th September 2008 beating
Chinese compatriot, Wang Hao in the final.
The hard working left
hander had grown in confidence as the tournament progressed and after
losing the opening game against the top seed in the final, he went from
strength to strength.
Hao Shuai beat Wang Hao 9-11, 12-10, 11-6, 12-10, 11-8.
Few Appearances
Against
the odds was certainly the end result; Hao Shuai had played in only one
ITTF Pro Tour Tournament in the past twelve months, the Volkswagen Open
China and he had not excelled.
He had lost in the round of the last sixteen.
Dropped Down Rankings
Furthermore,
he was seeded eight as to Wang Hao at one; he had fallen from a high of
eight on the ITTF Men’s World Rankings in February 2007 to a current
position of twenty and he had never beaten Wang Hao in a world ranking
event.
Past Results
Wang
Hao had won in September 1999 at the semi-final stage of the Boys’
Singles event at the Asian Junior Championships and had won in December
2003 when the pair met in the final of the Men’s Singles event at the
Volkswagen Pro Tour Grand Finals and in December 2005, in the same
event and in the same round at the Asian Cup.
In Shanghai, at the 2008 Panasonic China Open, Hao Shuai upset the odds.
men’s Doubles
The silver medal for Wang Hao in the Men’s Singles event and it was the same in the Men’s Doubles competition.
Partnering Chen Qi, the pair suffered in the final against colleagues Ma Lin and Wang Liqin.
Ma Lin and Wang Liqin won 9-11, 11-9, 9-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-7.
First Title
It was the first ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Doubles title for Ma Lin and Wang Liqin as a partnership.
Source: www.ittf.com
