1997 World Table Tennis Championships Men's Singles - Round of 16

[azlan]

1997 WTTC MENS SINGLES : WANG LIQIN (WR63) vs PERSSON (WR14)

I found this very rare footage of the two battling it out in Manchester. I remember watching this live just before I went back to Malaysia. It worth every penny driving from London. I just thought it would be nice to share this with the younger viewer here. It was best of 5 sets, with the 21 format. I must also thank Janus for this rare and collectible footage. Here is the video, sets 3 and 5.

I think Waldner won the final. ENJOY!

 

[Giangt]

Super video post Az!! Love Persons flying back smash at 0:47 Just epic! nothing more to say!

 

[Michal_Z]

So many good rallyes..
And they say that the games were too quick over..

 

[YosuaYosan]

Amazing stuff, Sir Az (a fan of Da Li anyways ha)

Whoa Wang Liqin was world num 63 back then..

 

[azlan]

Amazing stuff, Sir Az (a fan of Da Li anyways ha)

Whoa Wang Liqin was world num 63 back then..

No63 but playing like the future no1 hehehe I wish there is a video of the entire game. I watched all his matches in Manchester. I remember him coming into WTTC after being the runner-up in Belgrade. There was so much hype about him after he won the youth championship in 1994, but he could never convert that form in the senior team. He only really flourished 2 years later. And boy, did he slaughtered everyone in his path back then.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

No63 but playing like the future no1 hehehe I wish there is a video of the entire game. I watched all his matches in Manchester. I remember him coming into WTTC after being the runner-up in Belgrade. There was so much hype about him after he won the youth championship in 1994, but he could never convert that form in the senior team. He only really flourished 2 years later. And boy, did he slaughtered everyone in his path back then.

My bet is that his ranking went up considerably after this World Championships! He is not playing like #63. That is top 10 quality play. Look how he gets everything and Persson just cannot put it by him. Look at that footwork on both sides and how they are moving each other side to side and back and in (north, south, east and west).

This also looks like the point where China was really trying to figure out how to combat the Swedes because they are more ready for those backhand blocks down the line followed up by forehands deep to the backhand side in a way that they were not previously. Not just this match. But you can see it in the footwork that Wang Liqin has that they are working on this coast to cost footwork more and having a strong answer from the backhand side.

But you have to love Persson's famous Backhand Swat Kill too.

Thanks Azlan, thanks Janus.

 

[TTLondon2012]

 

[TTLondon2012]