by Simon Daish
A partnership fully capable of tackling the best and on most occasions a victory for Timo Boll and Patrick Franziska would not be considered much of surprise.
However, at the final hurdle in Shenzhen it was the identity of opposition and the margin of victory that would of caught some off guard.
Crowned men’s doubles champions at the Liebherr 2019 World Championships just over a month ago, China’s Ma Long and Wang Chuqin were looking to build upon their recent success and what better way to do so than to lift a trophy in front of the home fans on Chinese soil.
An excited crowed was ready to see one of the sport’s all-time legends in Ma Long and one of the country’s up-and-coming stars, Wang Chuqin lead China to a glorious finish. Yet, against all the odds Timo Boll and Patrick Franziska emerged from the contest as gold medallists, rising to the occasion to defeat the Chinese duo by a crushing 3-0 score-line (11-8, 11-7, 11-5).
Delighted with the result Patrick Franziska praised his partner Timo Boll for the impact he’s had on his career:
“I’m happy to become the champion, as out opponents are the strongest players in the world. I’m quite happy that we defeated the World champions. In the final, we performed quite well. Timo and I have been playing for long, and he has helped me a lot in my table tennis career. I have learnt a lot from him and he’s also my good friend.” Patrick Franziska
