Chinese table tennis team trounces S.I.

Press, 9 June 1980, Page 3

Chinese table tennis team trounces S.I.

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

A combination of varied spin serves, deceptive returns, and greater agility by the Chinese table tennis team ensured that it finished its eight-match New Zealand tour with an unbeaten record when it beat the South Island, 10-0, at Cowles Stadium yesterday. All members of the Chinese side are rated among the best juniors in their country.

The South Island team of Stuart Armstrong, Mike Hamel, Jan Morris (all Canterbury) and Debbie Looms (Marlborough) failed to take a game off the visitors although Hamel and Armstrong came close in the second game of the men’s doubles.

In the * ; rst game against

Wang Baojun and Fan; Changmao, the South Island pair gained their first point with the score at 14-0. They dropped that game, 21-4. But they produced flashes of brilliance in the second game and there was consistencv as well as they led, 11-5, 15-10, 17-13, and 19-18. Under pressure the Chinese proved their class and won the next three pc : nts. Armstrong, with 17 points in the second match of his singles against Wang, achieved the best individual total by a South Island player, although Looms was never disgraced and played better than Morris, the national women’s champion. Whereas the South Island players had great difficulty in returning their opponents’ serves, the Chinese were seldom troubled and rarely made a mistake when facing service.

At times the four South Island members matched their opponents in over-the-table play but their attacking shots were predictable and the Chinese quickly read the pattern. In contrast the Chinese cunningly disguised the trajectory of the return and the amount of chop and were devastating in their punishment of any loosv returns. Morris scored the opening point in the first singles against Li Chunli but the attacking Chinese pengripper never let Morris settle into her own attacking rhythm and won comfortably as Morris, often backing away from the table, was forced into error regularly. The serves of the lithe Wang had Armstrong perplexed in their first game, but Armstrong picked the spin much better in the second game. He led, 6-5, and stil’ had a chance when trailing, 8-10. Wang raced to 20-13 but Armstrong, with a flurry of excellent shots, reached 17 before overhitting a backhand. Looms had an early lead against lian Yujing, a shakehand chopper who was first in the women’s singles at China’s national trial this year. But from 7-all Tian concedec. only four more points, Looms missing the ball several times on the forehand. The second game was almost identical, Looms leading, 8-7, but gaining only three more points. Jiang Zilong was a master of disguise against Hamel. Hamel tried to attack at every opportunity but ■ the

mixture ot chopped returns deceived him and the Chinese player effectively dealt with any loose return. With Looms especially dominant and Morris playing a good supporting role, the South Island pair matched shots with Li and Jiao Zhimin. At 15-all the Chinese coach had some urgent words for his players and they responded by winning six' of the next seven points. They won the second more decisively. After being outclassed in the first game Armstrong and Hamel produced many fine shots almost to win the s e c.o n d game. They frequently hit through the defences of the Chinese pair but succumbed to pressure at the finish. In the second round of singles Looms fought hard to earn 16 points against Jiao in the first game but she failed to reach double figures in the second. Fan Changmao, who throws the ball 5m into the air before serving, never lost a point on his service in the first game against Hamel. He had a devastating smash to support his serves and cruised home in both games. Again Armstrong had trouble returning service when he met Zhu Jianwei but the Canterbury champion was much improved in the second game and played many fine looped shots. His 14 points were well earned. Morris was most uncertain against Tian. She scored only six points in the first game but l played with more confidence in the second to manage double figures. Results:

Men’s singles.—S. G. Armstrong lost to Wang Baojun, 9-21, 17-21; lost to Zhu Jianwei. 6-21. 14-21. M. J. Hamel lost to Jiang Zilong, 11-21. 7-21; lost to Fan Chiangmao, 9-21, 13-21. Men’s doubles.—Armstrong and Hamel lost to Wang and Fan, 4-21, 19-21. Women's singles.—J. G. Morris lost to Li Chunli, 12-21, 10-21; lost to Tian Yujing, 6-21, 11-21. D. J. Looms lost to Tian, 11-21, 11-21; lost to Jaio Zhimin. 16-21, 9-21.

Women’s doubles.—Morris and Looms lost to Li and Jiao. 16-21. 10-21.

Exhibition doubles. —Fan and Zhu beat Wang and Jiang, 23-21, 22-20.

In Timaru on Saturday the Chinese won six singles and one doubles match against local players. Men’s singles.—Jiang beat. C. McFarlane, 21-9, 21-15; Wang beat T. Underdown, 21-10. 21-7; Fan beat B. Butler. 21-9, 21-7. Women’s singles.—Li beat K. Wilson. 21-11. 21-4; Jiao beat G. Underdown, 21-12, 21-4; Tian beat J. Clarke. 21-8. 21-8. Men’s doubles.—Fan and Zhu beat Butler and Underdown, 21-8. 21-5.