by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

In the German city they had emerged successful by the very narrowest of seven games margins (9-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-8, 11-6, 6-11, 11-9), in Chengdu, in a five games contest, the top seeds, facing the no.4 seeds; they prevailed in a rather less dramatic fashion (9-11, 11-7, 11-4, 12-10).

Chen Meng and Zhu Yuling, who had somewhat surprisingly beaten Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen in the final of the Women’s Doubles event at the 2014 Asian Championships staged in the Korean city of Busan, won the opening game.

“We are very familiar with each other. We performed at our average level. Win or lose, it’s normal in such matches”, Zhu Yuling

Immediately, the champions elect levelled, confident they dominated the third game before, at 9-all in the fourth, they were nearing victory. However, the next point was secured by Chen Meng and Zhu Yuling, game point, it was a chance to level matters, the chance was spurned, the next three points went to Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen, the title was secured.

“After we won at the World Championships, our partnership is getting better and the confidence is higher. We are well prepared for the National Games later this year.” Liu Shiwen

Notably it was the eleventh time as a partnership that Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen had won an ITTF World Tour Women’s Doubles title, the third time on home soil in China and the second time in Chengdu.

They won in Taicang in 2009, in Chengdu in 2014.