The top seed and favourite for gold, China’s 23 year old Ma Long won the Men’s Singles title at the Hungarian Open in Budapest in Saturday 21st January 2012 and so started the GAC GROUP World Tour exactly where he signed off on the ITTF Pro Tour in November 2011.

However, Ma Long was tested by the in-form Joo See Hyuk and needed the full seven games to clinch victory against the superb defensive skills of the Korean.

Sweat and toil was needed to secure victory in an enthralling contest where Joo Se Hyuk performed heroics.

Result
In a contest that ebbed and flowed Ma Long won 7-11, 11-4, 4-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8.

Over Six Months
Victory in the Hungarian capital city means that the amazing run of Ma Long continues; it is now over six months since he last tasted defeat; on Sunday 19th June 2011, he was beaten by Ma Lin in the Men’s Singles final at the Volkswagen China Open.

Since that date, everything he has touched has turned to gold.

In August he won in Suzhou at the Harmony China Open and then followed with wins in Austria, Sweden and at the ITTF Pro Grand Finals in London.

Career Record
Success in Hungary means he has now appeared in 17 Men’s Singles finals on Tour and has won 12 times; furthermore, three ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Grand Final appearances can be added and he has the perfect record, three wins.

Meanwhile, for Joo Se Hyuk, it was his fourth appearance in a Men’s Singles final on Tour and once again it was defeat; only once has he been crowned champion, he won non home soil in Korea in 2006. 

Distinct Favourite
Unquestionably, prior to the contest the odds heavily favoured Ma Long; of the 12 previous duels he had won ten; moreover, he had won the last six.

Furthermore when the matches had been best of seven games, Joo Se Hyuk had only won on one occasion. In May 2007 he beat Ma Long in the fourth round of the Men’s Singles event at the Liebherr World Championships in the Croatian city of Zagreb.

Unwanted Distinction
On that occasion Ma Long gave a somewhat immature performance; he tried to blast Joo Se Hyuk into the Adriatic Sea, simply he made mistake after mistake as frustration mounted and Joo Se Hyuk remained resolute in defence.

It is a contest that gave Ma Long an unwanted distinction at the tournament; he was the only member of the Chinese Men’s Team to lose a match against foreign opposition.

More Mature
At the time Ma Long was only 18 years old; since then he has matured greatly and has suffered only one defeat against the Korean in their ensuing ten encounters. 

Joo Se Hyuk won when the pair met in June 2009 at the Volkswagen China versus World All Stars contest; since that time there has only been one result, the verdict has always been in favour of Ma Long and never in seven games.

Superb Start
In Budapest Ma Long won again but this time he won in seven games, it was a journey of sweat and toil to the top step of the podium.

A tremendous encounter, most certainly it was a superb baptism for the GAC GROUP 2012 ITT World Tour.

Source: http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=26669&Category=General&Competition_ID=&

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