A display of sheer class and technical efficiency secured China’s 22 year old Zhang Jike a place in the Men’s Singles final at the Qatar Open in Doha on Sunday 21st February 2010.

Mentally attuned for the task, in total control of his emotions, he gave a superb display to end the hopes and aspirations of Korea’s Lee Jung Woo.

In four straight games he succeeded with a display of sheer quality, to be admired.

He won 11-5, 11-7, 11-3, 11-8.

Control
Directing the first attack predominantly into the body of Lee Jung Woo, Zhang Jike captured the first two games with a performance of sheer efficiency.

Lee Jung Woo, a dangerous player was never allowed to settle into a rhythm.

In the second game after trailing he levelled at 7-all but severe on the first attack, Zhang Jike never allowed his Korean adversary one more point.

Ideal Adviser
He was two games to nil ahead and assuming control; advised by coach Qin Zhiijian, the master plan was working.

Furthermore, Qin Zhijian was quite the ideal adviser; like Lee Jung Woo he was a left handed penhold grip player who attacked relentlessly using one side of the racket only.

Dominant
Zhang Jike was dominant; he was in total command.

Playing in his trademark smooth classic style, he won the third game with ease and completed the task in the fourth game to book his place in the Men’s Singles final, the first of his career on the ITTF Pro Tour.

In the fourth game Lee Jung Woo fought; he was level at 7-all but then lost the next point. He called “Time Out”. It was only a temporary stay of execution.

Zhang Jike was not to be denied.

First Meeting
It was the first time that Lee Jung Woo and Zhang Jike had every confronted each other in a world ranking event.

Experience favoured 25 year old Lee Jung Woo; he had some eight years of history competing on the ITTF Pro Tour having made his debut in on home soil in Gangneung City in 2002.

It was not an auspicious start; he was beaten in the first round.

Quick Progress
However, he progressed quickly, in 2003 he reached the quarter-finals of the Men’s Singles event at the Danish Open; then in 2005 he overpowered Austria’s Chen Weixing in the final at the Chinese Taipei Open.

Similarly Zhang Jike made his debut on the ITTF Pro Tour in 2002 when he played in the Volkswagen Open Japan; like Lee Jung Woo he was beaten in round one.

Semi-Finalist
However, 22 year old Zhang Jike had competed in far less ITTF Pro Tour tournaments than Lee Jung Woo with the semi-final stage of a Men’s Singles event being his previous best.

It is a stage he reached two years ago in Qatar and in 2009 in Denmark and on home soil in China.

Furthermore, on his most recent appearance on the ITTF Pro Tour he reached that stage. He was a Men’s Singles semi-finalist in Macao at the ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals in January 2010.

Recent Months
Life on the ITTF Pro Tour, the experienced gained might have been slightly in favour of Lee Jung Woo but in the past six months Zhang Jike had proved himself the model of reliability and in 2008 he won what can be considered the toughest tournament of all.

In that year he won the Men’s Singles crown at the Chinese National Championships and when play started in Doha he possessed the higher world ranking; he was at no.12 as opposed at no.37.

The pecking order was endorsed in Doha; Zhang Jike was victorious.

Source: www.ittf.com

Written by :

Dimosthenis Messinis

 

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