Austria’s Liu Jia clinched the Women’s Singles title at the Erke German Open in Berlin on Sunday 23rd November 2008 and in so doing won her second career Women’s Singles final on the ITTF Pro Tour.
She beat her German neighbour, Wu Jiaduo, in five games to secure victory; a disappointment for the home crowd but a new milestone for Wu Jiaduo.
It was her first ever Women’s Singles final on the ITTF Pro Tour.
Liu Jia won 12-10, 13-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9.
Sixth ITTF Pro Tour Final
A first final for Wu Jiaduo but that was not the situation for Liu Jia; it was the fifth time that she had appeared in a Women’s Singles final on the ITTF Pro Tour but it was only the second time that she had won.
The defeats at the final hurdle came at the Brazilian Open in 2001, at the Volkswagen Open Korea in 2003, one year later in Croatia and then in 2006 at the Liebherr Polish Open. The one success was in 2004 in Rio de Janeiro when she captured gold beating Croatia’s Tamara Boros in the final.
Odds Favoured Wu Jiaduo
Furthermore, the odds were in favour of Liu Jia against Wu Jiaduo.
The duo had met on four previous occasions and Wu Jiaduo had only one success to her name.
In January 2002 at the Austrian Open, Wu Jiaduo beat Liu Jia in six games in the opening round but four years later when the pair met again, it was victory for Liu Jia.
She won in four straight games in the first stage of proceedings at the Europe Top Twelve in February and in December in the European Champions League.
Victory in 2009
Meanwhile, in their one other encounter; again in the European Champions League, victory went to Liu Jia.
She won when AS Froschberg Linz met FSV Kroppach in September 2008; in Berlin two months later she won again.
Source: www.ittf.com
