Table tennis preview: China's dominance unshakeable despite challenge from arch rivals

BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- China's star-studded team are ready to display their mighty strength at the Beijing Olympic Games in hopes of clinching all four gold medals.

As table tennis is considered China's national sport, pressure has been mounting on the team not to let go any single gold medal, especially in front of frenzied home crowds at the Peking University Gymnasium.

China fielded its best paddlers to play in the Games, including world No. 1 Wang Hao, four-time World Cup winner Ma Lin and three-time world champion Wang Liqin.

On the women's side, the lineup of top-ranked Zhang Yining, grand slam winner Wang Nan and Guo Yue, newly crowned champion in Zagreb, are considered virtually unbeatable.

Team leader Huang Biao, however, has played down expectations of a title sweep.

"To secure an all-around win is the aspiration of all Chinese but sports is always filled with uncertainties," Huang said.

Ever since table tennis debuted as a medal sport in Seoul in 1988, China has bagged an overwhelming 16 gold medals out of the total 20 on offer.

In Athens four years ago, South Korean Ryu Seung Min stunned the world by beating 20-year-old Wang Hao to claim the most-coveted men's singles gold, the third Olympic gold medal for his country.

Despite their string of honors, none of the Chinese trio has been crowned men's singles champion at Olympics.

Eight-ranked Ryu said recently that he felt no pressure to defend his gold medal.

"I know Wang Hao is showing great form. But he is human too, and he can be beaten," said Ryu, whose fast footwork, explosive forehand loops and steel nerves enabled him to prevail over many opponents.

Besides, European champion Timor Boll of Germany and fifth-ranked veteran Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus are also determined to derail the Chinese juggernaut at the Beijing Games.

Boll has recovered from a knee injury, while Samsonov downed four Chinese paddlers before winning the Kuwait Open in March.

China head coach Liu Guoliang said that the threat in August would mainly come from Germany and South Korea, especially in the men's singles.

Pundits warned that any negligence in the event may result in a replay of the Athens scenario. They added onslaught from South Korea, Japan, Singapore and DPR Korea would be hampering China's efforts to clean-sweep the titles.

Sports officials also warned that the home-court advantage might be a double-edge sword.

As for the new rule to replace the men's and women's doubles with the team events at the Games, a more determined Wang Hao appeared confident, saying China's true enemy is themselves, not the new competition regulation.