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S Korea send signal to China at table tennis champs

South Korea thrashed European powerhouse Sweden at the world team table tennis championships yesterday, sending a strong warning to title holders China as the tournament kicked into gear.

Olympic champion Ryu Seung-min led the 3-0 victory over the determined Swedes on the third day of the championships, as South Korea gun for their first team title.

The world No. 8 said South Korea, who finished runner-up at the last worlds, were quietly confident of success in Guangzhou, and possibly even derailing the Chinese juggernaut.

"The Chinese team is so strong, every player is the strongest in the world, but we are also strong so we have confidence, and we will take our chances," Ryu told reporters.

But he said the battle to reach the finals would be fierce, with little separating the top men's teams in the group stages so far.

"Germany, Hong Kong maybe Japan and Taiwan," Ryu said. "Many teams have little difference between them at the moment, they are all so strong, but we will play our best in all of the matches."

Taiwan trampled Poland 3-0 yesterday, leaving Taiwan in second place in Group B.

China, unbeaten in this competition since 2000, continued their winning ways, barely breaking into a sweat as they cruised over Croatia 3-0.

The star-studded team, boasting the world's top four players, are viewing these championships as the perfect warmup for the Olympics in Beijing.

On the women's side, fourth seeds Japan fought a grueling encounter with South Korea before emerging with a 3-2 victory.

The Asian powers were locked at 2-2 before Japan's teenage prodigy Ai Fukuhara fought a nail-biting five-set battle with Moon Hyun-jung, finally edging over the line for a 3-2 victory for her team.

Fukuhara, 19, said she was under enormous pressure to win, to give Japan the best chance of finishing at the top of their group and avoid meeting formidable China in the quarter-finals.

"I kept thinking I must win this, I must win this, this is so important," the pint-sized star said.

Hong Kong, who finished second to China at the last two worlds, thrashed Germany 3-0, while Austria thumped Thailand by the same margin in their groups.

Meanwhile, Austria downed Belgium, also 3-0.
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