S Korea, China post easy wins at worlds table tennis

GUANGZHOU (China)—South Korea thrashed European powerhouse Sweden at the world team table tennis championships Tuesday, sending a strong warning to title holders China as the tournament kicked into gear.
Olympic champion Ryu Seung Min spearheaded 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 number eight 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 AFP. 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.” 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 where total dominance is demanded. Taiwan also trampled Poland while Austria downed Belgium also 3-0.
On the women’s side, fourth seeds Japan fought a gruelling encounter with South Korea in their group 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.—Agencies