Beijing, Friday, August 22, 2008 – Zhang Yining shows why she is the number one table tennis player in the world since 2002 with a 4-1 victory over Li Jiawei of Singapore.

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Game over and Zhang Yining moves on to the gold medal match while Li Jiawei gets a bronze-medal match.

Jiawei makes a mistake in the rally and finally goes down 5-11.

Jiawei attacks but Yining recovers!

Five match points. No way back?

A smash by Yining goes long. Jiawei trails 5-10.

Another Jiawei return goes long. She trail 4-10.

A strong Yining smash. Jiawei trails 4-9.

Singapore coach looks resigned.

But Jiawei returns the favour with a mistake of her own. 4-8.

Yining makes a mistake. 4-7.

The most amazing rally ends with a Yining smash that Jiawei misses completely. 3-7.

Yining makes an incredible return and Jiawei hits the return long. 3-6.

Jiawei can’t handle a Yining return. She trails 3-5.

Another Yining return hits the net. Jiawei trails 3-4.

A Jiawei backhand return hits the net. 2-4.

Yining can’t handle Jiawei’s smash. 2-3.

A Jiawei forehand smash goes long. 1-3.

Jiawei hits back. Trails 1-2.

Jiawei loses the first point. And the second. 0-2.

5th game

Aiyah. Jiawei again cannot handle a backhand smash that goes straight to her. She loses the third game 7-11.

Timeout called by the Chinese coach. The China one.

Yining can’t return Jiawei’s smash. Jiawei saves one game point. She trails 8-10.

Another mistake by Jiawei when her ball hits her net. She sinks to her knees. She trails 7-10.

But Yining comes back with a winning point. Jiawei trails again by two at 7-9.

Jiawei wins a point to trail 7-8.

Another Jiawei mistake. She trails by two now. 6-8.

Yining’s powerful return right at Jiawei’s body is too strong for the latter. Jiawei trails for the first time in this game at 6-7.
Yining darts in for a backhand smash. It’s good. They are tied 6-6.

Jiawei gets an easy smash. Leads 6-5.

Frustration for Jiawei. Her shot hits the net. 5-5.

Yining claws back a point. Jiawei still leads 5-4.

Yining’s return goes long. Jiawei leads 5-3.

Yining makes mistake. Jiawei leads 4-3.

Yining exploits Jiawei’s weakness down the middle. Game tied 3-3.

Yining makes a mistake. Jiawei leads 3-2.

Another Jiawei error. Game tied 2-2.

Yining forces Jiawei into an error. Jiawei leads 2-1.

Another mistake by Yining. Jiawei leads 2-0.

Jiawei wins the first point. 1-0.

4th game.

Jiawei trails 1-2 overall.

Jiawei gives a somewhat resigned smile. She knows Yining is too hot to handle.

Yining finishes off Jiawei and the latter goes down 10-12.

Jiawei makes a mistake. 10-11.

Nobody has taken two games from Yining in this tournament.

A Yining return hits the net. 10-10!

Jiawei hits the ball UNDER the table. Aiyah. She trails 9-10.

Another Yining mistake. 9-9.

An Yining mistake gives Jiawei a point. 8-9.

Jiawei now trails by two again. 7-9.

A powerful Jiawei smash is too hot this time for Yining to handle. She trails by one. 7-8.

Another failed Jiawei return. She trails by two now. 6-8.

Another Jiawei return goes into the net. She trails 6-7 now.

A blistering Yining attack is too hot for Jiawei and her return goes long. 6-6.

Jiawei hits the net again! Her lead is now 6-5.

A Jiawei forehand hits the top of the net and spins out. She leads 6-4.

What a rally! Yining loses out. Jiawei leads 6-3.

Jiawei scores a point. 5-3.

Yining outfoxes Jiawei with change of play. Jiawei still leads 4-3.

Fourth point in a row for Jiawei now. She leads 4-2.

Jiawei has never beaten Yining before in an international game.

Jiawei’s attacking play pays off. 2-2 now.

Yining loses control in her return to give Jiawei her first point. 2-1.

Jiawei attacks but ball is long. Yining leads 2-0.

Yining wins first point. 1-0 to her.

3rd game begins.

Yining forehand smash is too hot for Jiawei to handle! She wins her first set 11-8 to even the tie up at 1-1.

A miss by Jiawei to give Yining game point at 10-8.

A heavy top-spin drive by Jiawei. 8-9.

Jiawei has secret hand-written message on her left palm. Wonder what it says.

Yining forehand goes long. Now leads 8-6.

A smash by Jiawei goes long. 5-8.

Jiawei smashes home a point. 5-7.

Yining now makes a mistake to give Jiawei a point. Yining leads 7-4.

Fourth straight Jiawei mistake. 3-6.

Another Jiawei mistake. Aiyah. 3-5.

Two straight mistakes by Jia Wei. She trails 3-5.

Jiawei is attacking, attacking, attacking. It puts Yining off. 3-3 now.

Jiawei fights back to gain first point but Yining comes back to lead 3-1.

Zhang Yining goes 2-0 up.

Zhang Yining wins first point in second set.

Li Jia Wei wins 1st set 11-9.