China overpowered Germany 3-0 yesterday to win the gold medal in men’s team table tennis.
Led by Wang Hao, the world’s top player, the Chinese team of former Olympic medalists dominated throughout the contest to secure China’s second table tennis gold in as many days.
A few tense moments came during the match between Ma Lin, the world’s second-ranked player, and No. 6 Timo Boll, the top European threat to the Chinese in the upcoming singles competition.
Boll had previously beaten all three of China’s players during the World Cup in 2005, but managed only to win one of his four games against Ma.
Yesterday’s medals were the first to be awarded in men’s team table tennis, which has replaced the doubles competition.
The top-ranked Chinese generally play closer to the table, while the No. 2 Germans tend to fall back 10 feet and take big swings at the ball. But the Chinese were equally proficient from any distance, forcing the Europeans into off-target returns.
Wang made quick work of Dimitrij Ovtcharov. The teenager could only lunge for the ball, struggling to string together returns for a rally.
A partisan home crowd cheered on the Chinese, waving flags and rattling plastic noisemakers. Shouts of “Ti-mo! Ti-Mo!” were drowned out by chants of “Go China!”
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