After a consistently dominating run through the eight days of table tennis competition at the Napoli 2019 Summer Universiade, team China had plenty to smile about their performances here
POZZUOLI, 11 July – On the final day of action at the Palatrincone venue it was once again the men and women of China putting on a demonstration in the table tennis singles events at the 30th Summer Universiade. Yidi Wang and Ziyang Yu defeated their compatriots respectively, and both won the gold medal in straight games victory.
After eight days of competition, the two Chinese athletes each won four gold medals – in singles, doubles, mixed doubles and team – helping to lead team China to nearly a clean sweep of the table tennis events here in Napoli with 7 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze as the final tally.
Yidi Wang showed her strength of winning the gold medal during the match. She did not waste time in claiming her victory as she defeated compatriot Rui Zhang within 17 minutes of stepping onto the field of play, with the performance of 11-7, 11-4, 11-2 and 11-6.
Characterised by a dynamic playing style, Wang is also the first female athlete on team China to won four gold medals in this year’s Universiade. “I am pretty happy about my performance,” said Wang. “The opponent is my teammate, so I know her well. This helps me to adjust my mindset.”
In the men’s final, it was again a China versus China affair. Ziyang Yu took 23 minutes to finish to claim victory or his country mate Zihao Zhao, winning 11-7, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5.
Both athletes showed a dizzying level of speed and technique in the match. And while Zhao was in touching distance of reach a game point, he was eventually at every instance unable to overturn the match.
“I think I performed pretty well in this match,” Yu told FISU Media. “Because the opponent is my teammate, I can better prepare for this match.”
Yidi Wang of China taking on her compatriot Rui Zhang in the Women’s Singles finale at the 30th Summer Universiade. Wang would come out on top with a 11-7, 11-4, 11-2, 11-6 victory.
Speaking of winning four gold medals, Yu said he is satisfied with his and his teammates’ performance, it is because of their hard work and cooperation, that team China is able to claim all the gold medal in table tennis.
Ziyang Yu and Zihao Zhao battled it out in the Men’s table tennis singles event with Yu coming out on top with a 11-7, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 victory
Results
Women’s singles
GOLD: Yidi WANG (CHN)
SILVER: Rui ZHANG (CHN)
BRONZE: Siqi FAN
Yan GUO (CHN)
Men’s single
GOLD: Ziyang YU (CHN)
SILVER: Zihao ZHAO (CHN)
BRONZE: Sadi ISMAILOV (RUS)
Linfeng ZHU (CHN)
NAPOLI, 10 July – China picked up both gold medals available at the table tennis this evening at PalaTrincone, unsurprising given both the women’s and men’s doubles finals consisted solely of Chinese athletes. It was the duo of Siqi Fan and Yidi Wang who took gold in the women’s competition, with Ziyang Yu and Zihao Zhao winning gold in the men’s event.
The women’s final was up first, and in a rather one-sided affair it was Fan and Wang who defeated their Chinese counterparts Yan Guo and Rui Zhang. The duo hadn’t lost a single set in their last three rounds heading into the final, and they kept it that way as they eased to a 4-0 win.
The pair spoke to FISU after their victory. “It feels good, I’m very happy to win gold,” said Fan.
“I feel very good because it’s our first time winning something like this,” added Wang. “We don’t have too much time for training, so we’re very satisfied with the result.”
“I felt comfortable out there, but it’s very hot here in Napoli, the day time is too long!” joked Wang.
And on how it felt playing against their friends in the final, Fan said: “We felt relaxed, we didn’t have much of a burden.”
Remarkably, they could end up on opposing sides of the net should they win their respective singles semifinals tomorrow evening.
“Tomorrow’s match we are playing against our national teammates,” added Wang. “And if we both get to the final, off the court we will be friends, but on the court we will be competitors.”
The final pairs had very similar runs throughout the competition and maintained their fine form all the way to the final. Both won their round of 16 games 3-0 yesterday. Both were also tasked with overcoming Romanian pairs in the quarterfinals later that evening, with Guo/Zhang beating Ciobanu/Diaconu 4-2, as Fan/Wang defeated Clapa/Zaharia 4-0.
This morning’s semifinals witnessed identical score lines as Fan/Wang were once again 4-0 victors, this time over Russia’s Noskova/Shcherbatykh. Guo/Zhang meanwhile overcame Japanese duo Ando/Sasao 4-2, meaning Russia and Japan shared bronze.
In a more competitive men’s doubles final, it was China’s Ziyang Yu and Zihao Zhao who defeated their national teammates Linfeng Zhu and Lingxuan Kong 4-1.
“I feel very happy,” said gold medal winner Yu. “I tried my best to finish the competition with gold.”
“I am very proud of our team for getting to this stage,” he added.
“It feels very good, it’s excellent.”
Yu/Zhao and Kong/Zhu edged out the Japanese duos of Igarashi/Sakai and Sadamatsu/Tsuboi respectively in the semifinals earlier today, after both pairs had eased through their quarterfinals 4-0 yesterday. The beaten Japanese semifinalists therefore shared the bronze medal.
It was, however, Yu and Zhao who claimed gold thanks to a determined display in a gripping final. Just like the upcoming women’s singles final, the men’s encounter could see the gold medal winners battle it out for top spot should they win their respective semifinals tomorrow evening.
Having started on 4 July, the table tennis competition comes to a close tomorrow evening, with both the men’s and women’s singles semifinals and finals. Incredibly, all eight of tonight’s athletes will be in action except Ziyang Yu, who lost his semifinal to Russia’s Sadi Ismailov. He is the only non-Chinese athlete to make it into the last eight in the men’s and women’s singles and doubles events.
POZZUOLI, 9 July – Located on this peninsula city considered to be the first port of Rome, the PalaTrincone table tennis venue used at the 30th Summer Universiade is not just a multi sports activity spot, but a place holding meaning to Pozzuoli locals.
During the Napoli 2019 Summer Universiade, Palatrincone is home to drop shots and cross-court winners. This venue is also home to indoor sports competitions and concerts. But in it’s past, this place had been used as a shelter for locals, and even once as a mortuary.
For the fact that the city is close to the Vesuvio volcano, this area constantly suffers from earthquakes. Built in 1985, PalaTricone first serve as a refuge for locals as it provides a place to stay whenever an earthquake damages their homes.
Around 2003, PalaTricone went from a shelter to sports venue, hosting many indoor sports events. However, most of the time, the venue was left unused. Then, in 2013, a tragic accident happened near PalaTricone. A bus full of people on board crashed on a steep downward road due to brake problems. 40 people died in this accident. The tragedy was difficult to deal with, and the authorities temporarily stored the coffins inside PalaTricone.
The Chinese doubles team playing in the Summer Universiade gold medal game on 9 July
“That was a tragic situation” said Luca Cinicolo, who is working at PalaTrincone during the Summer Universiade. “At that time the venue was standing idle, so I don’t feel really afraid of this past. I think this was the appropriate way to handle with those coffins.”
Having now witnessed the transformation of PalaTricone, Cinicolo said “I think it is important to have such a facility in the city, because it gives value to the city.”
“This is the suburb area of Pozzuoli. With this venue, it also gives popularity to this area. It brings youngsters, elder people, and people from different culture, different nationality together.”
Pozzuoli resident Luca Cinicolo now works in the renovated PalaTrincone venue as a member of the media and broadcasting services team for table tennis at the Summer Universiade 2019 in his hometown
