Japan Open: Youngest winner ever
Boll wins Men's Singles
Monday, September 22, 2003
ITTF Press Release
Kobe, Japan, 21 September 2003. GUO Yue, 15, on Sunday wrote Pro Tour history becoming the youngest title winner ever in singles at the Pro Tour. She already had 3 Pro Tour titles in doubles (the latest won earlier on Sunday) now she is also a Singles Champion after beating compatriot GUO Yan in the final at the Volkswagen Japan Open.
This is a very big suprise for me. GUO Yan was the big favourite so I am extremely happy that I could beat her in 4 straight games.
GUO Yue’s game is very fast, she is talented, LU Yuan-sheng, Women´s National Coach in China, who spotted GUO in 2001. He saw in her a future star and now she is a member of the national team. Now she started to focus on the Olympics - maybe Athens will be too soon for her but then 2008, in Beijing, China.
There are other young players in the group where I belong, but I am the youngest, GUO Yue said, who is studying other players in order to improve.
The women have to pick up things from the men. I am not thinking about any particular player, but more about watching different players and picking up a little bit here and a little bit there.
GUO started to play table tennis at the age of 5, inspired by her father, but at that time it was only a question of having some fun.
It is still fun, but more serious. And what a sweet feeling it is to have won the first Pro Tour title.
The lefthander GUO Yue is from time to time compared with Olympic and World champion WANG Nan, also a lefthander.
There is no comparison, she has her style, I have mine, we are two different players, GUO said.