2012 World Team Table Tennis Championships - Gao Ning Guides the Team to Top 8!

Gao Ning the Hero

A change in line up for the Singapore Team, and the change did miracles. Instead of fielding Yang Zi in the 2nd singles and Pang Xuejie in the third singles, Head Coach Yang Chuan Ning decided to switch it around. And it works!

Youngster Pang Xuejie was the first player into the arena. In a match against the World No. 13, Vladimir Samsonov, Pang Xuejie was unable to offer a good start for Singapore. Pang lost in three straight games 11-2, 11-3, and 11-6.

Pang's lost seems to have affected Gao Ning. He scumbbled quickly to Evgueni Chtchetinine 5-11 in the first set. Gao managed to calm his nerves and levelled matters at 1-all, posting a 11-6 win. However, the Belarus player once again found his control and posted a 5-11 victory. The fourth and most intense set went to Gao Ning 11-9 and Gao wrap things up at 11-3 in the fifth and last set to level things at 1-all.

Yang Zi came into the 3rd game well prepared. He was trailing 6-9 in the 1st set but never gave up. He turned the tables around to win 11-9. Yang became more confident and posted another victory in the 2ns set, 11-6. Just as everyone thought that Yang Zi was going to take the 3rd set, Belorussian surprised the crowd with a 9-11 win. In the nail biting 5th set, both players were unable to establish a convincing lead. At the crucial stage, he was Yang Zi who was more consistent. He won 15-13.

The fourth match was a battle between the no. 1 players from both sides, Gao Ning and Vladimir Samsonov. Gao Ning was in unforgiving mood. He posted a 3-0 victory against the veteran 11-8, 11-8 13-11.

The win earned Singapore a place in the Quarter Finals where they will play Japan tomorrow. This is the first time in history that the Men's Team had gotten into the Quarter Finals!