Sometimes explaining sport is difficult; logic is defied by the human being, table tennis is no exception.
Certainly the lower half of the draw at the prestigious Volkswagen Women’s World Cup, in the Chinese city of Huangshi, does defy a certain degree of logic.
The semi-final will see Spain’s Shen Yanfei face Romania’s Elizabeta Samara; for the very first time, a player representing a European country will appear in the final.
Watch interview with Shen Yanfei on itTV
At the quarter-final stage on the evening of Saturday 22nd September 2012, Shen Yanfei beat Korea’s Dang Yeseo (11-7, 14-12, 11-1, 11-8); whilst Elizabeta Samara defeated Viktoria Pavlovich of Belarus (11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6).
Always Asian Final
Always since the very first edition of the tournament was held in 1996 in Hong Kong, when an all Chinese final saw Deng Yaping beat Yang Ying; the two finalists have always been from Asia and the winner has always been from China.
Fourth Time Not All China
In what is now the 16th staging of the tournament; it will be only the fourth time that the final has not been China versus China.
Eleven years ago, in 2001 in Wuhu, DPR Korea’s Kim Hyon Hui reached the final losing to Zhang Yining; whilst in 2008 Tie Yana was the runner up to Li Xiaoxia.
Two years later Jiang Huajun was beaten in the final by Guo Yan. The events in both 2008 and 2010 was held in Kuala Lumpur.
Not Seeded
Jiang Huajun and Tie Yana both played in Huangshi; neither qualified for the main draw.
Difficult to explain; also neither Shen Yanfei nor Elizabeta Samara appeared amongst the top four seeds.
There is More
However, there is more.
It is the first time that Elizabeta Samara has every played in a Women’s World Cup and in her very first match of the tournament, when facing Germany’s Wu Jiaduo she was totally out of form, she could not find a rhythm and was comfortably beaten in four straight games.
Meanwhile, it is only Shen Yanfei’s second ever appearance in a Women’s World Cup and in her one previous attempt; she never won a single match; in fact she won only two games!
However, in Huangshi both are going from strength.
Crucial Stage
Against Dang Yeseo, the crucial stage of the match came in the second game after Shen Yanfei had won a hard fought first game.
Dang Yeseo led 12-11, game point to level matters. She called “Time Out” and then lost the next 13 points!
Shen Yanfei won the first three points in the second game, before in the third racing into a 10-0 lead before deliberately hitting the ball into the net so as not to whitewash her adversary.
Played Freely
Difficult to explain; then in the fourth game, Shen Yanfei went ahead 9-5 and called “Time Out”; the players returned, Dang Yeseo attacked quickly and won the next three points giving Shen Yanfei no time to react.
Suddenly, facing defeat she played freely and at a higher level.
Spanish Calamity
My mind raced back to April and the GAC GROUP 2012 ITTF World Tour Spanish Open, when in the semi-final of the Women’s Singles event, Shen Yanfei led Dang Yeseo’s compatriot, Yang Haeun, by three games to nil and was ahead 7-5 in the fourth.
She took a “Time Out” and lost the match!
Sequence Stopped
In Huangshi, she stopped the sequence of points from Dan Yeseo and from 9-8, secured the next two points and the match.
Fierce Attacks
Meanwhile, Elizabeta Samara, with her fierce forehands in full flow took charge of proceedings against the defensive skills of Viktoria Pavlovich.
No Romanian Defender
Now, there has been no defensive player of not in recent times from Romania against whom Elizabeta Samara can practise; yet she looked very much at home.
The most recent female defender of note from Romania was Maria Alexandru, the 1966 European champion who played her final World Championships in Pyongyang in 1979 and retired before Elizabeta Samara was born!
Difficult to explain; that’s sport, that’s table tennis!
