The 45th World Championships Through The Eye Of The Video Camera

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The 45th World Championships Through The Eye Of The Video Camera

BY GARY RUDERMAN, Owner-Producer, Reflex Sports

PART 5 of 5

In a Men's Doubles Semi-final, Primorac and Samsonov, the best doubles team Europe has to offer, face Liu and Kong, one of China's top doubles pairs. This match-up produced some incredible points, and a student of doubles technique should watch this match over and over. The contest seesaws back and forth as one or another of these all-stars finds either a technical trick or an athletic kill or block to win a point. When the game score was 2-1 favoring the Chinese, Samsonov and Primorac dug in to open a 13-9 lead. This was something they had to do---there was no tomorrow. At 14-9, they scrambled to the barrier to return kill after kill, except for the last. After losing this point, they forge ahead to a 17-11 lead, but the Chinese duo is not discouraged and creeps back to 14-17. Samsonov flicks a serve return for a clean winner, but Liu and Kong manage to close in to 17-18. They go ahead 19-18 before Primorac's backhand evens the score...and then it was a palm-sweating 20-20 deuce game. A net-edge forces Kong to miss a kill attempt, but Kong flick-kills the next serve to even the game again. With China leading 22-21, Primorac hits a racing backhand kill to the roar of the crowd, but the inevitable happens---the Chinese win at 24-22 to generate a tub-thumping, whistling response from the Chinese cheering section.

In the second Men's Double Semi-Final, Yan Sen and Wang Liqin make a strong combination against Korea's Kim Taek Soo and Park Sang Joon. They are all quick and deadly. but the Chinese are quicker and deadlier as they take the first at 18, squeeze by the second at 21, then dominate the third for a three game sweep..

The Women's Final pits Wang Nan, the number one woman player in the world, against Zhang Yining, a tough Chinese teammate. They put on a great match, providing a standard that women in the rest of the world will have to match if they are to compete effectively against the Chinese. After losing the first two games, Wang pours on the pressure and somehow effects a devastating 21-5 victory. She follows with a 21-12 win in the fourth game. In the deciding fifth game, Wang opens up to a 17-10 lead and cruises into a 21-11 win, a 3-2 well-deserved come-from-behind victory.

Four of the top five Chinese players are represented in the Men's Doubles Final---Wang Liqin, Yan Sen, Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui. This appears to be a very evenly matched doubles event. These players display every detail of technique that the best coaches in the world can devise---serve, service return, blocking, looping, positioning---and, of course, killing. After splitting the first four games, they find themselves in a fifth game of sizzling shot trading. Kong and Liu move ahead 14-9 in this crucial game, but Wang and Yan are far from finished as they come up with two blazing rallies and close to 11, then 12. Yan tees off on a serve and it's 13. Before you can blink, it's 14-14. Bang, bang---16-14 favor of Liu/Kong. The 16th point was finished by a hard-to-believe short pips forehand block kill. They stay close at 16-16, then 20-18. The next point, a Liu kill, wins the men's doubles event for Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui. Doubles enthusiasts have another textbook match to study for years.

In the Semi-Finals of the Men's Singles event, again we see the seemingly unstoppable Jan-Ove Waldner. His opponent, Ma Lin, has displayed remarkable form in reaching the semis this year, especially with a vastly improved backhand loop, a unique stroke for a penhold player. Waldner opens up strongly on serve, taking a 4-1 lead. On the next point, a forehand to forehand loop exchange, Ma hits an incredible low and wide hooking loop that leaves Waldner with a perplexed look. The game continues with the server having the advantage until, at 9-7, Waldner counters a hard loop to his backhand with an off-the-bounce forehand put- away. Ma counters a few points later with an off-the-bounce angled put- away that leaves the crowd stunned. Waldner leads at 17-12, and engages in a looping exchange that Ma wins, once again triggering an enthusiastic response from the Chinese fans. Ma comes as close as 18, but Waldner's off-the-bounce loop kill closes out the first game. The second game starts with Waldner casually angle blocking against a Ma loop. At 4-5, Waldner and Ma engage in an outstanding highlight point, with Waldner winning the exchange. The play at this point defies description. Waldner finds a way to step up to an even higher level to reach 15-10 on Ma's service. The astounding fact is that Ma is playing at least as well as he has to reach this point, yet still he falls in this game at 14-21. In Game 3, Waldner plays a little more tentatively, and finds himself down 2-5. At 5-6, Waldner discovers a momentary weakness in Ma's defense as he loops the ball into Ma's elbow instead of trying to penetrate his backhand block or match his forehand counter. At 11-8, Waldner returns a serve an inch above the net and two inches behind the net, only to see a streaking Ma loop kill it away. The game continues bang-bang, and now the score is 16-15 Waldner, then 17-17, and the crowd grows tense. At 18-18 Waldner tries to return a short serve with a forehand flick, but misses, and repeats that mistake on the next serve! He manages to close to 19-20, but that's as close as he can get as Ma wins 21-19.

Ma stays sharp in the fourth and kills everything within reach, and nothing seems to be out of reach. Waldner continues to try to return the serve short, and Ma, robot-like, puts each return away to the same spot. He seems to be saying, "Don't you believe I can do that?" Waldner falls behind 12-17, apparently unable to keep up with Ma's speed. Is his age finally taking its toll? Waldner tries to pull himself together with two points in a row, but then makes the mistake of trying again to drop the ball short to Ma's backhand side, and once again, with flawless footwork, Ma demonstrates the ability to turn that spot on his backhand side into a forehand killing zone! Waldner takes the serve at 15-20...then 16, 17, 18 on a Waldner at-his-best-shot, 19 on Ma's service miss. Is the impossible really possible? At that point Waldner manages to set up a ball for his loop kill, but to the groans of the Swedish fans and cheers of the Chinese claque, he misses...and sends the match into the critical fifth game!

In the fifth game, Ma comes out eager for the kill. Waldner looks determined as he serves to get a set-up...and misses! He repeats the serve with the same result. A buzz is going through the crowd. Is Waldner finished? He gathers himself long enough to make the next three points, so he still leads 3-2. Waldner returns Ma's first serve into the killing zone again, and Ma obliges with a kill...only to see Waldner block the kill for a winner! Soon Waldner finds himself with the serve while holding an 11-9 lead. Two set-ups follow, but Waldner misses both, tying the score at 11-11. Ma wins the next exchange, and Waldner reciprocates, then moves ahead in a frenzied exchange that draws a roar from the crowd. Ma serves to 13-13. Waldner takes the next point on his unmatched backhand punch down the line, but Ma takes the next three to lead at 16-14. Waldner takes the serve realizing it is now or never. Ma takes the serve back at 19-16, with the end finally in sight...and that end grows closer as Waldner once again misses a forehand flick of Ma's short serve. It's now all over but the shouting...or is it... as Waldner somehow blocks a put-away for his 17th point...but that's only a momentary reprieve as he nets the next and final serve...and his reign is over! What a match...certainly one for the ages! Who knows if it is our last chance to see Waldner play at this level. We vow at that point to show this match in our video as close to its entirety as possible!

In the other Semi-Final, Schlager seems to be able to handle Liu's service, and stays even at 5-5. Maybe I spoke too soon since he nets the next two serves. Down 6-12, Schlager loops off the bounce into Liu's backhand for a winner. Liu keeps control, however, and takes the first game 21-10. Schlager seems to have trouble timing the ball coming from Liu's short pips. In Game 2, Schlager tries to change his tactics---a slow loop to Liu's backhand, followed by a winner. This takes him to a 4-1 lead. Liu catches on and almost catches up at 7-8. Then it's 10-10. Down 11-15, Schlager attacks strongly for a point, but then is baffled by Liu's next serve. On his serve, Schlager falls further behind, 15-19, but wins a beautiful loop exchange to close to 16-19. He gets to 18, but that's as close as he gets until Game 3.

In the third game, Schlager pulls out all stops in receiving Liu's serves and actually leads 3-2 when taking his serve. The Austrian fans are pleading for a miracle. Schlager maintains an 8-7 lead after a winning return of Liu's seemingly unreturnable kills. He now goes into overdrive on his own serve, moving to 13-7. He picks up the serve again at 14-11. A few net balls and an angle loop later the score is 15-14, then 15 all. Can Schlager withstand Liu's serves? The answer is "not quite," as he finds himself down 17-18. One point, then another, and Liu moves ahead 19-18, then 20-18 on a Schlager loop hook. Schlager manages the 21st point to get back into the match.

Liu opens Game 4 strongly and zooms ahead to 11-5. Schlager plays well, but Liu is on a roll, until Schlager blocks a kill with his backhand and angle kills it away. This inspires him, but only to 8-12. Still down 10-15, he must do something with Liu's serve, but he can't, and finds himself down 12-18. He serves his way to 14-19, but is wrong-footed by Liu---15-19---then improves to 16-19. Liu's first backspin serve digs into Schlager's racket and dies there, and his second is missed as well to set up a Liu/Ma final. This should be interesting with their different styles...the ultimate flat hitter against the ultimate spin killer.

In the Final, Liu opens the first game by serving to a 4-1 lead, but Ma fights back to 4-6. Liu obviously knows Ma's game, and shows it by smashing winners. Despite this, Ma hangs in. The points seem to crystallize into Ma spinning, Liu blocking, until a ball comes back that is not a sure winner, wherein Liu smashes the ball out of reach. Ma makes his points on serves, Liu's misses or on sweeping loops out of Liu's reach. This script doesn't look good for Ma as he falls behind 17-12, then loses the first at 21-16. In Game 2, Ma opens up sooner and with more intensity, staying even at 5-5. At that point, Ma shows all his skills in a true highlight point, returning impossible shots, moving to impossible angles, bringing the game to 8-6. The agility of these two players is truly astonishing, both are more than agile, precise beyond belief and have overwhelming power---fit competitors for the world title. Liu serves at 12-13. There is no question that they are both giving their all. Ma maintains a narrow 18-17 lead as Liu picks up the serve. Liu digs in, but to no avail as he loses at 19.

In Game 3, at 1-1, these players show their best, blocking seemingly unblockable kills, making unreturnable returns, smashing in the blink of an eye, all while moving so fast that if you do blink while watching the videos, you'll miss the action. When you stop to check the score, you see that Ma leads 12-8. Again Liu loops viciously to the far right, and again Ma not only gets to the ball, but also loops a winner. Liu gets disgusted with the way things are going and smashes two as if to say, "Try returning these smashes!" Both of these players offer much to students---watch their flawless footwork, timing, body positioning, their serves and service returns. But wait---the audience is stunned to see Ma return full intensity smashes with lobs not once, not twice but six times before watching the seventh finally fly past. Now 18-18, then 20-18 on Ma's serves, and two serves later Ma walks off with Game 3.

Game 4 starts on Ma's serve. With the score at 5-4, Ma's favor, we witness another exhibition of hitting and blocking at warp speed. Liu leads 11-9 after another flurry of shotmaking. On the next point, Ma glides into his backhand side in full forehand position to hit a winner down the forehand, except that Liu somehow gets his angled racket in the way to block it away down Ma's forehand. Ma returns the favor with the same shot in the next point. Ma picks up the serve at 15 all, tries to forehand kill the next ball from his side, only to have Liu kill it back the same way from his backhand. Incredible. Liu has a 19-16 lead, and the serve, and closes out 21-16. Talk about being well matched! We now prepare for Game 5 of this 1999 World Championship Men's Final.

It's anybody's title, but Liu doesn't believe that as he unleashes another high-speed flurry of impossible-to-return shots that Ma somehow returns...until he misses at last. What can one say? The impossible is taken for granted as we see what the Chinese table tennis machine has unleashed on the sport this year with their highly trained, incredulously talented players showing technique that didn't exist just five years ago. These penhold players use the benefits of that grip for their forehands while eliminating the disadvantages of the penhold backhand by developing superb backhand loops. The game continues at 9-9. The players change sides, and after exchanging backhands, Ma miraculously appears on the backhand far corner to hit a forehand winner. Ma makes three service returns to Liu's backhand that he can't control, and Ma is back at 12-13, 13-13, 14-14. Liu invents an angled return for a clear winner, then moves up 16-14. Ma comes back 16-16. What a battle! Another exchange of points, 17-17. Liu goes into a smashing frenzy to go ahead 18-17. Ma's turn to serve---18-18, 19-18, 19 all, 21-21. It's a pity someone has to lose. It's Liu's advantage now, but Ma blocks two kills to even the score again. Ma misses his shot in his killing zone, then misses a kill. Ma misses a loaded serve. Is this the end? Who am I kidding! He digs up a new serve which Liu misses. Liu smashes a winner off the next serve and finally Ma misses the third smash of the next point---and Liu claims the title! And now the spectators can breath again. You'll feel their emotions in watching this exciting final.

Now we're back in the editing room, reviewing the footage. Where do we cut to fit all these great matches into our usual eight-hour, four-tape format? The answer is that we can't. We bite the bullet, and even though we had earlier advertised a four-tape set, we add a fifth tape so we can give those who couldn't be there themselves a chance to see as much as possible of the incredible play.

Quarter Finals

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