Tue, March 27, 2012
DORTMUND, Germany, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Liu Guoliang, coach of the Chinese men's team, expects to meet the German team in the final of the World Team Table Tennis Championships, saying "that will be a real big final."
After the Chinese men's team got the second win on Monday, Liu said, "I noticed that the German team is quite fit now. Especially, because they are hosts this time, they have more energy to win."
Liu remembered the Chinese team beat the German team in Bremen, Germany, in 2006 and thus caught the men's world championship title. "But it was a 3-1 match, I mean, it was a tough game, it was really hard for us to win the last game."
"If you compare that German team, you will find this time they are much stronger. Six years ago, they didn't have Dimitrij Ovtcharov, but now, I think that Ovtcharov is the second best European player after Timo Boll," Liu continued.
"I heard around 11 thousands tickets have been sold already, and I know most spectators will cheer for the German team," Liu said. "However, I think that could also encourage the Chinese players to give their best performance."
"If the Chinese team could meet German team in the final, that will be very intersting," Liu added. "I hope both sides can try their best to bring a wonderful match, that will be good to the development of table tennis."
