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Li, Ding in repeat final
CHINA’S overwhelming domination of table tennis at the Olympics continues.
It will be a rematch of China’s Li Xiaoxia, the 28-year-old gold medalist from London four years ago, against compatriot Ding Ning, London silver medalist, in the women’s gold medal match at the Riocentro arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, later yesterday.
Japan’s Ai Fukuhara and North Korea’s Kim Song I will play in the bronze-medal match.
Third-seeded Li obliterated Fukuhara, the sixth seed who is a media darling in her country since she was a toddler, four games to zero in their best-of-7 match, the score being 11-4, 11-3, 11-1, 11-1.
“Ai and I are good friends off court,” said Li. “I knew she was playing very well these two days, so I had prepared to play a full-set semifinal. There are just six or seven days left in my last Olympic Games and I want to enjoy it thoroughly.”
Top-ranked Ding, 26, faced a tougher challenge from Kim, 21, who is ranked 31st at the Olympics and is world No. 56. Ding won 4-1 (11-5, 9-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-9).
Kim, a so-called “chopper,” or defensive specialist, played before a small but loud North Korean cheering section, which included Choe Ryong Hae, a top lieutenant of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
China has won 24 of 28 gold medals since table tennis became an Olympic sport in 1988, and all the golds at the past two Games.
On the men’s side, London champion Zhang Jike, who was named after Brazilian soccer star Zico, will face Vladimir Samsonov, a 40-year-old from Belarus, in the semifinals today. China’s Ma Long, the current world No. 1, will play Japan’s Jun Mizutani.
Ma is still looking for his maiden singles Olympic gold.
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