TABLE TENNIS: First Time Ever A U.S. Player wins ITTF Pro Tour Event; Gao Jun Sweeps Competition At The Chinese Taipei Open
// Tommy Perkins // June 19, 2005
Colorado Springs, Colo. – Gao Jun (Gaithersburg, Md.) of the USA Women’s National Team sweeps the 2005 Chinese Taipei Open winning the Women’s Singles and Doubles events at the age of 36. This is the first time in history that a U.S. player won first in a Singles event and the third time a U.S. player claimed the doubles event at an ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) Pro Tour Event.Gao Jun (16th - World Ranking) defeated Li Jia Wei (7th - World Ranking) of Singapore 4-2 after losing the first two games. Here are Gao’s results from the Women’s Singles competition:
Final: Gao d. Li Jia Wei (SIN), -8,-6,5,16,11,9 (4-2)
Semifinal: Gao d. Shen Yanfei (ESP), 6,6,-5,-6,2,7 (4-2)
Quarterfinals: Gao d. Ai Fujinuma (JPN), 4,-10,14,11,-11,3 (4-2)
8ths: Gao d. Haruna Fukuoka (JPN), 3,6,9,5 (4-0)
16ths: Gao d. Yuka Shiosaka (JPN), 6,10,-8,8,10 (4-1)
In Women’s Doubles, Gao Jun teamed with Shen Yanfei of Spain for the first time ever and defeated Sun Bei Bei/Wang Yue Gu of Singapore 4-1. Here are Gao Jun/Shen Yanfei (ESP) road to glory:
Final: Gao/Shen d. Sun Bei Bei/Wang Yue Gu (SIN), 7,10,6,-4,6 (4-1)
Semifinal: Gao/Shen d. Haruna Fukuoka/Hirano Sayaka (JPN), 5,-6,7,-4,11,6 (4-2)
Quarterfinals: Gao/Shen d. Ai Fujinuma/Hiura Reiko (JPN), 1,-10,-5,5,10,7 (4-2)
8ths: Gao/Shen d. Lau Sui Fei/Song Ah Sim (HKG), 8,-9,8,-9,7,9
Gao’s previous best ITTF Pro Tour performance had been making the final’s in Women’s Doubles at the 2004 Korean Open, where she teamed with Germany’s Elke Wosik. In Women’s Singles, Gao has made the semifinals twice, and the quarterfinals five times in her career Pro Tour appearances.
Gao who seems to be getting better with age once played for the dominant Chinese National Team. As a member of the Chinese Team, Gao was a World Women’s Doubles Champion in 1991 and World Team Champion in 1993, as well as a Women’s Doubles Silver Medalist at the 1992 Olympics.
Up Next: 2005 Liebherr U.S. Open (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) at the Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center. Dates: July 7-10, 2005. This is a Major ITTF Pro Tour Event with $100,000 + up for grabs. Contact USA Table Tennis for more information.
For complete results, photos and ITTF coverage of the Chinese Taipei Open go to www.ittf.com and visit the ITTF Pro Tour page. For biography information on Gao Jun please visit the USA Table Tennis web page at www.usatt.org or go directly to the biography page at http://www.usatt.org/events/national_teams.shtml.
Tommy Perkins, Programs & Marketing Coordinator
USA Table Tennis (719-866-4583 x 6)
