Winners of Men’s Doubles titles on the ITTF Pro Tour but never as a pair, Chen Qi and Ma Long secured gold in Berlin to bring proceeding at the 2010 German Open to a close in the early evening of Sunday 21st March 2010.
Runners up at the Panasonic China Open in 2007 and semi-finalists one year ago at the Harmony China Open, they beat compatriots Hao Shuai and Zhang Jike in five games to secure the top prize.
Chen Qi and Ma Long won the all China final by the margin of 11-8, 12-10, 11-7, 4-11, 15-13.
Chen Qi (left) and Ma Long (right) the 2010 German Open Men’s Doubles champions Photo By: Ireneusz Kanabrodzki
Doubles Mastermind
Undoubtedly, Chen Qi has proved himself a master in the art of doubles in recent years.
Partnering Ma Lin he won gold in the Men’s Doubles title at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and in 2005 at the Liebherr World Championships in Zagreb.
Success with Wang Hao
Furthermore, two years later in Yokohama, he was once again on the top step of the Men’s Doubles podium when at the H.I.S. World Championships he partnered Wang Hao to gold.
In Berlin, he was the engineer who made the opening for Ma Long to execute his powerful range of strokes as the duo secured the first two games.
Three Games Secured
The first game saw Chen Qi and Ma Long establish a narrow lead, it was a lead they never relinquished; however, in the second game they trailed 8-10 before winning four points in a row to achieve success.
Winning the first two games was clearly a confidence booster, in the first game they had established a narrow lead; in the third game they did the same.
It was a lead they never relinquished to move one game away from victory.
Response
However, in the fourth game Hao Shuai and Zhang Jike responded; they barely put one foot wrong and won the game with consummate ease.
The match deficit had been reduced to two games.
Match Points, Game Points
A reverse but it proved not to be terminal; in the fifth game, Chen Qi and Ma Long moved ahead 6-4, Hao Shuai and Zhang Jike elected for a “Time Out”.
They kept fighting but at 10-8 it was two match points to Chen Qi and Ma Long, both were saved; then at 10-11 it was game point to Hao Shuai and Zhang Jike.
Chen Qi and Ma Long saved the game point and at 12-11 had a third opportunity; again they could not convert.
Victory Secured
At 12-13 it was game point again to Hao Shuai and Zhang Jike, again level; then 14-13 to Chen Qi and Ma Long; this time converted.
It was gold for Chen Qi and Ma Long and having won the Men’s Singles title earlier in the afternoon, Ma Long left Germany as the tournament’s most successful player.
