Wang Hao secures gold in style (2009 Yokohoma)

In a battle of the two Wangs here at the 2009 World Table Tennis Championships in Yokohoma, it was to be cagey final match for the gold medal – or so we thought.

Wang Hao beat his Chinese compatriot – and three time World Champion – Wang Liqin in straight games (11-9, 13-11, 11-5, 11-9), to be crowned World Champion for the first time. This came after a very strong start by Wang Hao, who simply was in top gear while it looked like Wang Liqin never took off.

Just A-Maze-ing! (2005 Shanghai)

What a turn around! We will be talking about this one for ages, I’m sure! In what will go down as the comeback of all comebacks, Michael Maze has just defeated 4-3 Hao Shuai (5-11, 8-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6). At 7-10 down in the fourth game, Micheal Maze has someone managed to overturn this entire match and drop everyone’s jaws at the same time.

As Hao Shuai sent a service forward, Maze returned to the forehand, but Hao rushed and made an error trying to finish the point quickly with a forehand top spin. As the next point proved with a long rally, Maze was never really out of this after all. Using his lobbing from the backhand technique, he returned using a small amount of sidespin. This continued as Maze served, Hao returned to the forehand, Maze played a forehand top spin but as he tried to recover he slipped, he fell on his backside. Maze returned the ball with his backhand, but again Hao missed again. The rest that followed, is now certainly famed history for everyone in this arena!

Maze is in trouble! (2005 Shanghai)

Welcome back to the 2005 World Table Tennis Championships here in Shanghai! It has been a cracker of day but certainly not a happy one so far for Micheal Maze, who finds himself three games down, facing China’s Hao Shuai.

Winning the first three games 11-5, 11-8 and 11-7, Hao has shown no signs of slowing down and this could very well end quickly for Maze. Is there anything the Dane can do?