China's women fought off a ferocious North Korea on the second day of the world team table tennis championships yesterday, but not before veteran Wang Nan suffered a shock defeat.
Wang, one of the sport's most decorated paddlers with 20 world titles, went down fighting against a dogged Kim Jong at the Guangzhou Gymnasium.
The Red Army then dispatched Olympic champion and world No. 1 Zhang Yining and world No. 2 Li Xiaoxia to fend off tenacious challenges from the fired-up North Koreans and finally seal the encounter 3-1.
China coach Shi Zhihao said the tough battle was a wakeup call for his charges, unbeaten since 1993, as they prepare for the Olympics in Beijing, where they are expected to make a clean sweep of the golds.
"To lose a game is good because the Chinese women must wake up to themselves and realize that they are not always the strongest team in the world," he said.
But the defeat is a blow for Wang, the oldest member of the team at 29, who must impress Chinese officials in her battle to qualify for the Olympics.
"I give myself zero points," Wang said afterwards, adding that she downed Kim at the last world championships in Bremen in 2006.
China later easily accounted for Croatia 3-0, while North Korea licked their wounds by dismissing Sweden 3-1.
In other women's matches, Hong Kong, seeking to derail the Chinese juggernaut after finishing second at the last two worlds, impressed by trouncing Spain 3-0.
They remain top of Group C alongside an unbeaten Germany who beat Austria 3-0. Singapore cruised past Taiwan and then Romania, both 3-0, in Group B.
Japan beat the Czech Republic 3-1 and South Korea defeated the Netherlands 3-0 as the two Asian powers jostle for supremacy in Group D.
The US, in Group A with China, are so far unbeaten after downing Croatia 3-2 and then Russia 3-1.
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