China claims men's team title in table tennis worlds

Members of China's men's table tennis team (from L) Chen Qi, Ma Long, Wang Liqin, coach Liu Guoliang, Wang Hao and Ma Lin pose with their trophy on the podium after beating ROK in the men's final of the World Team Table Tennis Championships in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou March 2, 2008. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

GUANGZHOU, China, March 2 (Xinhua) -- China claimed the men's team title at the world team table tennis championships after storming over the ambitious Republic of Korea on home turf Sunday.

The victory was scored one day after China edged out Singapore to win the women's team title.

It was the 16th Swaythling Cup, or the fourth in a row, that the star-studded Chinese team has lifted.

China took the initiative of the playoff with world No. 2 Ma Lin playing smartly to overcame Olympic champion Ryu Seung Min 3-1in the first outing.

Ryu said earlier that he'd like to take on Wang Hao in the final to satisfy Chinese people. Wang lost to Ryu in the final of the Athens Olympic Games but never since.

Ma's lead was followed by Wang Hao, the newly crowned World Cupchampion, who fended off ferocious attacks of 39-ranked Lee Jung Woo and enlarged the Chinese advantage to 2-0.

Unbeaten in this competition since 2000, China was deemed as the strongest among all squads with the world's four top players. The title favorite hardly broke into a sweat as it eased past all rivals in the weeklong tournament losing only one point in group stage.

Triple world champion Wang Linqin stunned the audience after being outgunned by 74th-ranked Romanian Andrei Filimon in his first outing.

The 30-year-old veteran later made up for his loss in battles against Croatia, Austria and the Czech Republic. Wang admitted that being under the limelight has brought him enormous pressure.

Top-class ROK's chopper Joo Se Hyuk barely built up any threat to a determined Wang, who played actively to complete a clean 3-0 sweep for the Chinese in the final.

Liu Guoliang, head coach of Chinese men's team credited Wang's performance as immaculate, saying he did not let go a single chance to the advantage of his rival.