Ma Long vs. Xu Xin --- Korea Table Tennis Open 2013

Welcome back. GAC Group 2013 ITTF World Tour Korea Open in Incheon comes to a close with this ultimate match of the day. Immense singles finals match. It is China versus China all since the semi-finals as we can see here. Finalist Ma Long beat Wang Hao four games to two while Xu Xin beat his teammate Yan An four games to nil. Introducing the last two actors on this stage, the center court of Songdo Global University Gymnasium in Incheon, Korea. And these are the two gentlemen in question, Ma Long from China in the red. World ranked number one, the 24-year-old player. Semi-finalist of the World Championships 2011 and 2009. World Junior Championships in 2004. 14 times successful on the World Tour. Three times he's won the Grand Finals of the World Tour. Won the World Cup in 2012 and placed third in the World Cup 2009. Xu Xin, his teammate. And in the black here, the penhold player, the left-handed. He's 23 years old, world ranked at two at the moment. Round 16 at the World Championships 2011 for him. Semi-finalist of the Asian Cup 2012 as well as 2009. Won the Grand Finals of the World Tour 2012. And won the World Tour events in Russia, Qatar and China in 2012. And while it can be said that the great, the big titles in table tennis, such as the Olympic gold, the World Championship and the World Cup all went to his teammate, Zhang Jike. I think it's pretty safe to say that Ma Long has won everything else. He is, in my opinion, the best table tennis player in the world at the moment. Unbeaten for more than 50 games. We'll see if Xu Xin has something to say about that. Xu Xin opening this first game. See where the journey is taking us in this game. Xu Xin, the penhold player, will be more or less looking for the shorter rallies. He can play his best at serve and receive. And has that one very decisive forehand topspin to finish the rally. Ma Long. What to say about Ma Long? I believe he has no real weakness in his play, but of course, the longer the rally, I think, the better for him. This is what I was talking about. The classic penhold approach to the game. Good serve or good receive and then get that one deciding topspin in. Very good start for the 23-year-old player from China. Ma Long scored on that. That was down and out, if you ask me. Ma Long decided at the last second to play a stop here, but he smashed it in just one more time. Completely failed start for the superstar from China. 9-2 in the first game. For Xu Xin. Make that 10, that is 8 game points in the first game to China. 11-3, first game. Dominantly won by Xu Xin. He leads one game 2-0 over Ma Long. Now it's important for Ma Long to get off a good start in this second game. It was much needed. A lot of short rallies so far, and as I've predicted, better outcome for Xu Xin most of the time. Anticipated that serve coming to the center of the table. He's curving back into there, but very good reaction. Very modern serve, received the backhand topspin. This is it. This is Xu Xin topspin. That one decisive shot to win the point. Reminding table tennis fans of players like Ma Lin. He was able to do that to perfection. 6-2, it seems that Xu Xin continues right where he left off in the first game. ...of Ma Long and that touch he has on his right hand. That weird backhand block brought back all the sidespin that Xu Xin put on the ball. So he himself had a lot of problems with that. Nonetheless, his second game 2, leaning heavily in the direction of Xu Xin. 10-3, seven game points, two now in the second game. The backhand shot, but to no avail against Xu Xin, who takes the second game 11-4, leads now two games to nil. Both players back at the table, applauded by the audience in Incheon, Korea. Two very good games from Xu Xin, two not so good games for Ma Long. We've seen this best of seven game. There's still some room to recover for Ma Long, but not much. Pleasing the crowd in Incheon is Xu Xin. We saw that again, blocking back this weird sidespin that Xu Xin puts on the ball. And Xu Xin himself doesn't like that all too much. You see here, more or less forced to just lift the ball back over the net. Ma Long gave him a little taste of his own medicine, if you will. I have to say, I've never understood this serve receive that Xu Xin is doing. I know the movement, but I had no idea at what point does he hit the ball. Seems that Ma Long has, though. Xu Xin, quite the magician in table tennis. This is just their different approaches to the game. The artist Xu Xin, relying on these weird trick shots and surprise attacks. And Ma Long, the all out bread and butter table tennis player all around. Xu Xin now has to watch out that he doesn't get lost in his own game. Problem players with his possibilities. There's so many possibilities to hit the ball. He needs to quickly decide which one to use. Has at least for this third game lost a bit of the grip he had over Ma Long. Loosened it a bit. Ma Long is now wiggling his way to maybe winning this third game. This next one, important for both players. Is it two point lead again for Ma Long or does Xu Xin tie the score? It is the latter. This has to be the tactics of Ma Long for the remainder of this match. Much like he did facing Wang Hao, pinning the penhold player in his backhand corner. Same case as Wang Hao against Xu Xin. This is not a real weakness in his play, but it's not a strong point either. He doesn't have as many possibilities when playing with his backhand. Incredibly fast sidesteps from Xu Xin. Allowing him to use this whole motion. Topspin swung from the whole arm. And he's equalized to seven points each. He knows that if you look at his gesturing, his whole expression on the face. Cannot afford to let Ma Long put his foot in the door in this match. What he needs is 3-0. Wow, what a decisive topspin by the world's number one. This is what it looks like when Ma Long is really there in a match. And he's very alert. Almost impossible to surprise him. And he gets that one topspin back at one more than you expect him to. This is really rule of thumb for Ma Long. He takes the first game point he has. Closes the gap to one game to two. So this is the fourth game, ladies and gentlemen. It is men's singles finals match. The GAC Group 2013 ITTF World Tour Korea Open in Incheon. We have seen a rejuvenated Ma Long. Lost the first two games straight to Xu Xin, but then has overtaken him in the third. He's on a roll now. Good length in the serve of Xu Xin. Almost bounced twice on the table. That is always the length you're looking for. You're not doing a short serve. Once again, that topspin into the backhand of Xu Xin proved too hard. The only thing he could do is smash against it in that twice-trail long 4-2-2. 5-4, big point in this fourth game to Ma Long as he keeps in the lead. That is called a chop block. And look at Xu Xin, he's as surprised as most of the spectators are. That is a thing unheard of. Very few players in the world can play this. Jan Ove Vardner of Sweden used to be able to. The only player who actively does this that comes to mind is the Chinese player Chen Qi. Almost looked like he was played by a penhole player. 7-6. 7-6 now. Steadily closing the gap. This game is very important to Xu Xin. Of course what he'd be looking for is a 3-1 lead instead of trying to score 2-2. As nicely as this looks to the spectators, he cannot win from that far off the table. He knows that too. I don't think Ma Long is going to miss one more of these shots. Fist here. Ma Long does it, but this is one of the hardest shots in table tennis. To be able to flick on backspin receive you need such a fast wrist to do this. Good reaction from Xu Xin, but look at him. He has lost his stride really. Two game points remaining for Ma Long. Timeout. It'd be a good point for a timeout for Xu Xin. Might as well be good for Ma Long forcing Xu Xin to cope with this situation here. Takes the fourth game as well. Forces this now into a fifth. Two games each between Ma Long and Xu Xin of China. So this is it, the fifth game of the men's singles finals. Immensely important for both the serving Xu Xin as well as for Ma Long. This is the Xu Xin we've seen in the first two games. Very aggressive, focused on keeping the rally short. And sweet. Great start. Not for this man, not for Ma Long, but for his opponent. Ma Long knows this as well. Just like in the game we saw before, Ma Long is fighting his way back here. Point by point, bit by bit. The lead for Xu Xin shrinks. He had such a good start in this game. That was the first one Ma Long has missed for some time now. Scored five points in a row. Makes the game now very even. Two to two in games, six to six in points. Back in the saddle, Xu Xin to six. Ma Long misses this topspin, it is now three game points. Once again for Xu Xin, who has lost the last two games in a row. Was leading five to one early in this game and then Ma Long came back to power. This is not over yet, I have a feeling this could go on for quite a while. We've seen some crazy matches today, especially the women's singles finals match. A lot of turnarounds, a lot of ups and downs and these wicked turns. I think this game has that in store for us as well. Or maybe Xu Xin just scores now. Yep, exactly that is what happens. Eleven to eight the score, three to two the lead for Xu Xin. Both players are back at the table. Maybe for the last time if Xu Xin manages to win this game as well. Everyone knows that gesture. Says something like, you know better my friend. And play that push. Bouncing high in the forehand of Ma Long, that is just easy prey. Three to two. Next point, once again crucial for both these players. Ma Long will want to stay two points in the lead, no doubt. And he does. I've talked about his quick side steps. And when you look at that, as soon as he anticipated Ma Long playing into the forehand side. Here, he steps around. Commits himself fully to that fine topspin. And it doesn't come back. For all. Now Ma Long is feeling a bit of the pressure now. He's always had some room to maneuver in. And that is getting awfully close at the moment. It's either win or lose for him in this game. And this is quite the interesting perspective here on to the game of Ma Long. I've said earlier he's renowned for having no real weakness at all. The only thing you could call the weakness. Is that he sometimes does not play the best he can play when it comes to tight situations. I'm sure all table tennis fans will remember the finals game of the 2010 World Team Table Tennis Championships. Germany versus China. Where indeed Ma Long lost the first game to Timo Boll. And this is still, I'm sure, somehow in the back of his mind. His need to prove himself in tight spots. And it may very well be the case that he has to show this in this match as well. There's just no coming back from that situation for Xu Xin. Six all. Qi Xu Xin. That has worked out for him in the fifth game as well. And now again, top spin of Ma Long. Unreturnable unless it comes straight to the body. And in this case it does. 7-6. What a big point for Xu Xin coming up now. And it is indeed, ladies and gentlemen, that big point for Xu Xin. 8-6. Three points left to score for him in this match. There's a lot of weight on these shoulders at the moment. From a mental perspective, he's in a better position as well, Xu Xin. Scored two points in a row. Once again, what a great length of serve return from Ma Long. This is all the more difficult to play at this situation too. Timeout, Xu Xin. Very well placed, that timeout. Under the watchful eye of Yan An, Ma Lin, Wang Hao. The Chinese supporting bench. Again, China versus China, there's no coach present. At the court, both players will have to fend for themselves now. But you can see the coaches are not that far away and they're all watching this game. This will no doubt have repercussions for one of these two players. Both timeouts now spent, ladies and gentlemen. This is the remainder of this sixth game. Maybe the last if Xu Xin manages to score three points now. He has the opportunity with his last serve. And he misses. The better, he is. 9-8 now for the world-ranked number one. Impressive manner, nonetheless. Game point, Ma Long. That was a poor serve receive. Either that or he didn't read the spin correctly on Xu Xin's serve. Anyway, easy prey for the penhold player. Oh, and the next one as well. What a succession of two points at his own serve facing game point of his opponent. Incredible match point, Xu Xin. This has so much become a game of determination, a battle of will. Who wants it more? Xu Xin. Great performance. Standing ovation from the crowd in Incheon, Korea. Xu Xin wins the Korean Open 2013. What a succession of four points at the end there. I can't believe it. Four flicks. Four times unreachable to the world's number one, Ma Long. Congratulations to him, nonetheless, for reaching runner-up at this tournament. And also congratulations for Xu Xin winning the 2013 GAC Group ITTF World Tour Korea Open. Confirmation of the score on screen. 12-10 in the sixth game, 4-2 his victory. This concludes our coverage of the games of this tournament. Coming up is the award ceremony. Stay tuned.