China’s 18 year old Liu Shiwen secured the fourth Women’s Singles title of her career on the ITTF Pro Tour when she beat Japan’s 21 year old Ai Fukuhara in a spell binding final at the Salwa Cup Kuwait Open on Saturday 27th February 2010.

A contest played at a breathtaking speed, produced rallies of the highest calibre, the speed of the exchanges breathtaking.

There were two winners Liu Shiwen and table tennis.

Seeded no.1, Liu Shiwen overcame the no.16 seed: 11-7, 20-18, 6-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-13, 11-3.

Fast and Furious
Played at a fast and furious pace, both players never retreating from the table, it was Liu Shiwen who captured the first game after Ai Fukuhara had saved one game point.

Coached by Kong Linghui, the former Olympic and World champion, Liu Shiwen made full use of the table, she attacked wide to the backhand, wide to the forehand; thoroughly testing the blocking skills of her adversary.

Counter Attack
Matching Ai Fukuhara in the speed department and using her topspin skills to good effect, Liu Shiwen established a 9-6 lead in the second game.

However, Ai Fukuhara levelled and saved one game point at 10-9 before holding a game point of her own at 11-10; a high speed rally followed and it was parity.

Winning on Receive of Service
Again Ai Fukuhara held game point, again Liu Shiwen saved before holding game point herself at 13-12. The game point was saved, then again advantage Liu Shiwen, again parity; next point to Liu Shiwen, again saved!

It was 15-all; the faintest of edges, once more game point to Liu Shiwen; saved an edge ball in favour of Ai Fukuhara! Next point to Liu Shiwen again parity.

Liu Shiwen was winning the point on the Ai Fukuhara service, not on her own; then game point to Ai Fukuhara, saved! It was 18-all; then two points in a row for Liu Shiwen. Hard earned she was two games to nil ahead.

Deep in Thought
Always to collect the ball, Ai Fukuhara walked slowly, purposefully; deep in thought, conserving energy, she showed no emotion.

In the third game Ai Fukuhara responded after the marathon second game duel, she captured the game 11-6 to reduce the match deficit to one.

It was a tremendous contest, the crowd was enthralled.

Mentally Strong
The resolute Ai Fukuhara was maintaining the pressure on her adversary; always between points deep thinking, the equal of Austria’s Werner Schlager.

Equally, Liu Shiwen was brave, she was unmoved, strong mentally, she won the fourth game to establish a three games to one lead.

High Speed
It was high speed table tennis, the rallies being played at a simply electric pace with Ai Fukuhara taking a 5-2 lead in the fifth game.

Moving quickly, balance superb, Liu Shiwen levelled at 5-all but could not seize the lead as Ai Fukuhara responded.; Ai Fukuhara captured the game, the deficit was down to one.

Counter Attack
The counter attacking skills of Ai Fukuhara to the fore, she won the first four points of the sixth game and forcing errors from Liu Shiwen moved into a 6-2 lead.

Liu Shiwen recovered to trail 7-8, the point at which Ai Fukuhara took a “Time Out”. Serving Liu Shiwen levelled, then went ahead 10-8.

Ai Fukuhara saved the first match point, Chinese coach Kong Linghui called “Time Out”. The players returned the match point was saved; then a third match point for Liu Shiwen; again saved at the end of a fast counter attacking rally.

It was 11-all, next point to Ai Fukuhara, converted; a seventh game beckoned.

Decider
Ai Fukuhara was finding the answers; both were straining every sinew. Liu Shiwen, executing her topspin strokes from both wings against the machine gun attacks of Ai Fukuhara established a 5-1 lead in the seventh game. Ai Fukuhara was so deep in thought she did not realise it was the change of ends!

Liu Shiwen increased the lead to 7-1 but Ai Fukuhara was not going to surrender.

She fought but the gap was too great, the game went to Liu Shiwen, a truly superb final was over.

Ranking Suggested China
Ranked no.1 in the world as opposed to her adversary at no.21, the odds were in favour of Liu Shiwen.

However, when past meetings were taken into consideration, the odds were even.

Six meetings in world ranking events prior to the showdown in Kuwait and it was honours even.

Won First Meeting
In 2004 Liu Shiwen had won when the pair met in the Girls’ Singles event at the World Junior Championships in Japan and in 2007 she had prevailed at the Liebherr German Open and in 2009 at the Asian Cup.

However, in 2005 Ai Fukuhara had succeeded at the Asian Cup and in the Asian Championships whilst pertinently she had won the most recent meeting.

Most Recent
She won in January 2010 in the first round of the Women’s Singles event at the ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals in Macao.

The question was could she repeat the upset and with the might of China present capture gold; the answer was nearly.

Liu Shiwen was not to be moved.

Source: www.ittf.com

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