Defeat for one reigning World champion at the hands of a defensive player at the GAC GROUP ITTF World Tour Hungarian Open on Friday 20th January 2011 was soon followed by a second. After Ding Ning had suffered a quarter-final reverse against Wu Yang, the same fate befell her Chinese National Team colleague, 23 year old Zhang Jike.

Seeded no.2, he was beaten by Korea’s Joo Se Hyuk, the no.6 seed.ing Ning had lost in five games, for Zhang Jike the manner of the defeat was even more severe.

He suffered in four straight games. Joo Se Hyuk won 11-5, 11-7, 11-7, 11-4.

Won on First Meeting
“I beat him in 2009 in the quarter-finals of the China Open”, said Joo Se Hyuk. “I felt he was not totally motivated, I have changed the rubber on my racket; perhaps that caused him problems.”

Success against for Joo Se Hyuk in 2009 at the Harmony China Open in Suzhou was victory in their first encounter at international level but since that time, the verdict in world ranking events has always gone in favour of Zhang Jike.

Three Meetings
In 2010, the two met on three occasions.

At the ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals in Macao in January, Zhang Jike recorded a six games victory before posting a four games success, in a best of five games duel, when representing Volkswagen China against the World All Stars Team in June.

Margin Ever Greater
On every occasion the margin of victory was becoming greater and when they met in October in the German city of Magdeburg, Zhang Jike won in four straight games in their first stage duel.

It was a margin of victory he repeated in 2011 on his way to clinching the top prize at the GAC GROUP World Championships in Rotterdam and at the Liebherr Men’s World Cup in Paris.

Table Turned
However, quite amazingly, in Budapest the tables were turned completely and the comment made by Joo Se Hyuk regarding motivation would seem to have validity.

In June last year, at the Volkswagen China Open in Shenzhen, Zhang Jike lost to Korea’s unpredictable Seo Hyun Deok; the Korean is a fine player but Zhang Jike did not seem to be motivated on that occasion, mentally he did not seemed attuned. 

Now, in Budapest it would seem to have been a similar scenario.

Romanian Awaits
At the semi-final stage, Joo Se Hyuk meets Romania’s Adrian Crisan. 

He accounted for Austria’s Chen Weixing at the quarter-final stage (11-7, 11-5, 11-8, 6-11, 12-14, 11-3) to book his place in the semi-finals, a result that was somewhat of a surprise.

Six From Six
The two had met on six previous occasions in world ranking events and Chen Weixing had won all six!

Top Half of Draw
Meanwhile, in the top half of the draw matters went as per seeding but there was very nearly an upset.

Xu Xin, the no.4 seed, recorded a straight games win (13-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-7) over compatriot Ma Lin, the no.5 seed but Ma Long nearly came to grief.

Almost Grief for Ma Long
He was extended the full distance by his Chinese National Team colleague, Chen Qi, he won but only by the very narrowest of margins; he recovered from a three games to one deficit to post a seven games victory (8-11, 10-12, 11-6, 5-11, 11-7, 11-5, 12-10).

Somewhat surprisingly it was only the third time that Ma Long and Chen Qi had met in world ranking events and it was the third time Ma Long had won; as for Xu Xin and Ma Lin it was their fifth reunion.

The balance of power is now in favour of Xu Xin; he leads by one match.

Source: http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=26650&Competition_ID=2104&

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