For the first time in nearly two decades, the Corbillon Cup was not claimed by China, as the Chinese women paddlers lost the final to Singapore 3-1 at the 50th table tennis worlds here on Sunday.
The Chinese trio of Ding Ning, Liu Shiwen and Guo Yan, the same outfit in the semifinal, encountered a real challenge in the gruelling competition from Singapore's Feng Tianwei, Wang Yuegu and Sun Beibei.
Ding Ning had a good start for a 2-0 lead but soon suffered strong and constant resistance from Feng Tianwei, the world No. 2 player. She eventually lost the opener 3-2, which was also the first defeat the Chinese girls had in the Moscow worlds.
China's men's table tennis team memebers hold the trophy during the awarding ceremony at the 50th World Team Table Tennis Championships in Moscow, capital of Russia, on May 30, 2010. China defeated Germany 3-1 in the men's final match.
Perhaps influenced by the loss, Liu Shiwen was unable to subdue Wang Yuegu in the first, second and fourth games, losing the match 3-1.
Thanks to Guo Yan, who overcame Sun Beibei 3-1 in the third match, the Chinese team's hope for win was ignited again.
However, Liu Shiwen failed to stop the strong momentum of Feng Tianwei, losing the final match 3-2.
Shi Zhihao, head coach of the Chinese women's team, said the young players paid a price by losing the Corbillon Cup.
"They really have paid the price, which can give them a more clear idea about world events," said the coach, "They can see now that Chinese team is not unbeatable."
The Chinese girls cried for the loss of cup, while their Singapore peers celebrated their historical championship, also with tears.
Wang Yuegu could not hold her tears back during the interview after the match.
"The hard earned success means a lot to me at my age. I played table tennis for years in different countries, and paid much to the sports. Here I want to thank my family, who support me all these years," the 30-year-old player said.
"What I want to do most is to thank my coach, and to share the joy of victory with my mom," Feng Tianwei said, "The win is surely a great encouragement for me, building me more confidence for the 2012 London Olympics."
Singaporean table tennis team memebers(C) hold the trophy during the awarding ceremony at the 50th World Team Table Tennis Championships in Moscow, capital of Russia, on May 30, 2010
The Singapore's head coach Zhou Shusen told the media that he was actually worried about Feng's first match at the beginning.
"If Feng Tianwei lost the first match, our team would have no chance to win at all. The victory over China is definitely a historical breakthrough," he noted.
"Although Feng Tianwei has played the game for seven years, and Wang Yuegu 10 years, I still think our players are young. They still need to play hard for their beloved sports," the coach added.
Facing the intense pressure caused by the women's loss, Chinese men's team tried their best and did not let the Chinese supporters down again, by wining the final contest over Germany 3-1.
The German team, especially famed Timo Boll who is ranked world No.3, caused trouble to China, but still failed to stop the all-leading team from lifting the Swaythling Cup.
It is the 5th team title in a row claimed by the Chinese men in recent years.
The opening encounter between Ma Long and Timo Boll was a close competition, where Boll established the initial advantage for Germany by beating Ma Long 3-2.
Ma Lin, who played the second match, got the victory over Dimitrij Ovtcharov in three straight games.
Then, Zhang Jike won another point for China by subduing Christian Suss 3-1.
In the decisive fourth match, Ma Lin conquered Timo Boll 3-1, sealing the final victory for the Chinese team.
China's Ma Lin celebrates after winning the men's final match against Germany's Dimitrij Ovtcharov at the 50th World Team Table Tennis Championships in Moscow, capital of Russia, on May 30, 2010. Ma Lin won 3-0 and China defeated Germany 3-1.