Turkey’s 20 year old Hu Melek, a player who is establishing herself
on the international scene, won the Women’s Singles title in the table
tennis events at the Mediterranean Games in the Italian town of Pesara
on Wednesday 1st July 2009.
At the final hurdle, she accounted
for Li Xue of France in four straight games, having earlier in the
proceedings recorded a six games win over the more experienced Wenling
Tan Monfardini of Italy in the quarter-finals and Aikaterini Ntoulaki
of Greece in the semi-finals.
It was Turkish delight in Pesara.
It was an impressive performance by the fast attacking right hander
who excels playing close to the table, using her speed to gain success.
Close Games
In
the final she kept her nerve and technique to win the first three games
by the very narrowest of margins before dominating the fourth game.
En
route to the gold medal contest, Li Xue beat Spain’s Sara Ramirez in
the quarter-finals and Croatia’s Cornelia Vaida at the penultimate
stage.
Bronze Medal
The bronze medal went to Aikaterini Ntoulaki who overcame Cornelia Vaida in the crucial play off match.
Quarter-Finals
Cornelia Vaida (HRV) bt He Sirin (TUR) 11-8, 6-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-4
Li Xue (FRA) bt Sara Ramirez (ESP) 11-6, 13-15, 11-7, 11-4, 11-8
Hu Melek (TUR) bt Wenling Tan Monfardini (ITA) 9-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6
Aikaterini Ntoulaki (GRE) bt Anamaria Erdelji (SRB) 14-12, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8
Semi-Finals
Li Xue (FRA) bt Cornelia Vaida (HRV) 11-7, 11-9, 11-4, 11-5
Hu Melek (TUR) bt Aikaterini Ntoulaki (GRE) 13-11, 7-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-2, 11-6
final
Hu Melek (TUR) bt Li Xue (FRA) 14-12, 11-9, 18-16, 11-2
Bbronze Medal
Aikaterini Ntoulaki (GRE) bt Cornelia Vaida (HRV) 11-9, 12-10, 2-11, 11-8, 11-9
Source: www.ittf.com
