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Another tough start for Japan's Fukuhara
Source: Xinhua |
May 14, 2013, Tuesday
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TEN years after she surprised the table tennis world by reaching the last eight at the 2003 Paris world championships at the age of 14, Japan's Ai Fukuhara finds herself in a similar situation again at the Bercy Arena.
In 2003, the "China prodigy" lost to top-seeded Zhang Yining of China in her world championships debut. This time, she will still have to beat top seeded Ding Ning, also from China.
Ding, 22, won the silver medal at the London Olympic Games last year. She was also a member of China's gold-medal winning team at the Games.
"The Bercy Arena is still as beautiful as 10 years ago," she said. "But it looks a little smaller, maybe it's because I have grown up."
The quarterfinal place remains her best singles achievement at a world championships, even though she led Japan to the third place in the 2004 team worlds. "I don't know wether I am lucky or unlucky. I have always been drawn to play the top seed. It happened at the Beijing and London Olympic games. First of all, I must go as far as I did in London last year," she said.
She was stopped by Ding at the round of 16 in London. "But every coin has two sides. Many players have never got a chance to play the world No. 1."
Playing table tennis in China from a very young age, Fukuhara can speak fluent Mandarin and enjoys great popularity in China than most other players from outside the country.
But she has never beaten Ding in major world competitions. "I remember that I beat her once when she was a little girl in Beijing," she joked.
Fukuhara, who will play the singles, doubles and mixed doubles this time in Paris, said that she is physically strong enough to cope with the busy fixtures. "I am older than 10 years ago, but I am not too old. This is the world championships. I want to enjoy every match and try my best," she said.
China has named a full-strength team with 23 players and will be looking to clean sweep the titles they won at the 2011 worlds in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Ding will be looking to avenge her London loss to compatriot and national teammate Li Xiaoxia.
In 2003, the "China prodigy" lost to top-seeded Zhang Yining of China in her world championships debut. This time, she will still have to beat top seeded Ding Ning, also from China.
Ding, 22, won the silver medal at the London Olympic Games last year. She was also a member of China's gold-medal winning team at the Games.
"The Bercy Arena is still as beautiful as 10 years ago," she said. "But it looks a little smaller, maybe it's because I have grown up."
The quarterfinal place remains her best singles achievement at a world championships, even though she led Japan to the third place in the 2004 team worlds. "I don't know wether I am lucky or unlucky. I have always been drawn to play the top seed. It happened at the Beijing and London Olympic games. First of all, I must go as far as I did in London last year," she said.
She was stopped by Ding at the round of 16 in London. "But every coin has two sides. Many players have never got a chance to play the world No. 1."
Playing table tennis in China from a very young age, Fukuhara can speak fluent Mandarin and enjoys great popularity in China than most other players from outside the country.
But she has never beaten Ding in major world competitions. "I remember that I beat her once when she was a little girl in Beijing," she joked.
Fukuhara, who will play the singles, doubles and mixed doubles this time in Paris, said that she is physically strong enough to cope with the busy fixtures. "I am older than 10 years ago, but I am not too old. This is the world championships. I want to enjoy every match and try my best," she said.
China has named a full-strength team with 23 players and will be looking to clean sweep the titles they won at the 2011 worlds in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Ding will be looking to avenge her London loss to compatriot and national teammate Li Xiaoxia.
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