ITTF president expects non-Chinese final players at table tennis worlds
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Who could grab a title from dominated Chinese players during the World Table Tennis Championship is also a question to the President of ITTF Adham Sharara. But it would be "a dream final for a Chinese player against Timo Boll" in Sharara's interview with Xinhua on Friday.
"I hope in the men's singles unlike in the women's singles, somebody from the Europe can reach the further rounds, maybe semifinals or final. Then the spectators will be very interested to see a clash between China and Europe or even China or South Korea or Japan, but two different nations," Sharara said.
The Chinese team sent seven women players to this tournament, and all of them qualified for the quarterfinals in women singles event.
"It's not China's fault, because China are very strong and they come here and the role like everybody else is to win everything. It's normal. I think the fault of other associations that they are not capable to raise the level. Luckily now, we saw yesterday a very good match from France. So I think France, South Korea or Japan, Germany now are improving and I hope the next four or five years they can challenge China," Sharara said.
The Chinese players Zhang Chao/Cao Zhen beat their teammates Hao Shuai/Mu Zi to win the first title of the tournament in the mixed doubles final on Friday, while other Chinese players went through on their way to the possible consecutive fourth time sweeping of the golds at stake. But Sharara still hopes that a non Chinese player could reach the man singel final.
"The champion, the world champion has to be the best on that day. It doesn't matter if he's Chinese or German or French or what is his nationality. But I always hope that in the finals you have players from two different nationalities, because then there's a fight and there is a lot of interest in China itself," added he.
"You know if in China you have two Chinese players in the final, they know already that China has won the gold and the silver, so the interest goes down. However if they are playing against foreign player, a player from another association, then the whole country wants to cheer for their player to beat the other player and the interest goes up. For example, a dream final here would be a Chinese player against Timo Boll. That will be for sure in China that everybody would watch."
