The US take on the Netherlands in the Men’s Teams event and play England in the Women’s team event at the 50th World Table Tennis Championships tonight.

US Men v The Netherlands

The US have started with Peter Li. Although he is able to make some of the play the Netherlands number 3, Casper Ter Luun is too powerful in the rallies and wins the first two games.

A strong performance by Li in the third sees him making more of the attack to take the third game 11 – 9 after a strong attacking forehand topspin down the line allows him to get into a smashing rally that he eventually wins after 4 strong retrieves by Ter Luun.

The fourth game sees Li again being outrallied. At 1 – 4 a timeout. Can this change his fortunes. Back to 8 all with the Netherlands starting to look a little tentative. However the Netherlands takes the last 3 points and the match to give them a 1 – 0 lead in the tie.

Gregor Foerster v Hasinski.
This brings Mark Hasinski to the table. Can the experience of Hasinski get the US back on track?

Hasinski is matched against the Netherlands number 5, Gregor Foerster. He goes down 1 game to 0. Looking a little despondent. Then 2 – 0 another tight affair that goes to the Netherland 11 – 9.. Can Hasinski get back? He plays a better game in the 3rd set winning some of the rallies that he lost in the first 2 sets.

The third set goes to 9 all and timeout to the Netherlands just 2 points from taking the pivotal third game. Hasinski serves short to the forehand and a flicking error from the Netherlands and then a blocking error sees the US get on the board but still down 1 game to 2.

Hasinski comes out firing in the fourth and takes it 11 – 5. Can the close it out now or will Foerster stand up again.

The score moves to 5 all. Hasinski puts pressure on Foerster with some good strong topspins including one that kicks high and gets the top edge of Foerster’s racket. 7 – 5 and now it is the turn of the Netherlands to make the play gaining the first attack and the points. Then a topspin rally and two points won by Hasinski. The rallies continue with the first attacker gaining the point. Then at 9 – 8 a kicking topspin by Hasinski and another top edge by Foerster… 10 – 8 Foerster attacks and forces Hasinski back to lob and takes the point 10 – 9…timeout USA. Serving Hasinski does the reverse pendulum short to the forehand, followed by a flick wide to the forehand and that is enough…win to the USA and leveling the match at 1 all.

The next match a crucial one with Michael Landers of the US taking on Boris De Vries of the Netherlands. De Vries takes to first 2 games. Things look bleak for the US. However Landers has other ideas and storms home to take the last 3 sets. So in a tight struggle 3 games to 2 the US is in front for the first time.

Hasinski now against Ter Luun, the two winners from their initial matches. Who will prosper?

The experience of Hasinski is enough to get him over the line 3 – 0 and take the match for the US. They now go on to play Bosnia-Herzegovina in their last match of the tournament after Bosnia-Herzegovina beat Canada 3 – 1.

At the same time the US women are taking on England.

Erica Wu vs Hannah Hicks from England a classic defensive player.
Wu takes the first game. A tight second game sees Hicks prove too steady to win in deuce. 3rd game again a tight struggle. Hicks defending bravely, Wu steady attacking play. 10 – 9 now to England and a timeout by Hicks. Wu attacks and pushes trying to unsettle the rhythm of Hicks but in the end it is Wu that makes a pushing error to give the 3rd game to Hicks.

In the fourth, Wu plays a patient game unable to play with enough power to hit through Hicks. A lead of 10 – 8 and a lucky net by Hicks keeps her in the. 10 -9 and a timeout by the US. Desperate to close out this 4th game and stay in the match. A good attack down the line wins the game for Wu. 2 – 2 and the battle continues. Erica Wu has played a very patient game till now. It was Hicks, the defender who looked more rash at the end of the last game.

The fifth game and a few simple errors from both players sees the scores at 4 all. Who will hold their nerve better? At 6 all they settle into the rhythm they displayed in the firs 4 sets only for Hicks to make a smash error off a simple ball by her standards.. Then 6 – 8 another long rally. Wu tries to go down the line to the backhand, a shot that has won her some points this match but misses. 8 – 7. Another long rally and a chopping error by Hicks 9 – 7. Another long rally, they are becoming the norm and another error from Hicks also for er also becoming too common. 10 7 and the pattern continues. Long rally an error by Hicks and it is all over, the first match goes to the USA.

The second match sees England’s Kelly Sibley take on the might of Gao Jun. The experience of Gao Jun is too much for Sibley. Jun has played in World teams championships finals for China and was one of the best players in the world at her time. 3 – 0 Gao Jun and a handy 2 – 0 lead to the US.

Now the tides start to turn as Joanna Parker another defender from the English team carves into Ariel Hsing. Hsing has no answers for Parkers defence and another 3 – 0 score line this time to the English team.

Can Wu repeat her performance of earlier against the all out attack of Sibley? The simple answer is no. Sibley dominates 11- 6, 11 – 8, 11 – 3. So the match is tied at 2 – 2.

The US put up Gao Jun against the defense of Hicks. It is one way traffic. Hicks still a little way off tackling this hurdle. Gao Jun with all her years of playing has all the answers and takes the US on to win the match.

The Us go on to play Italy and still remain in the race for 13th position. England valiant go on to play France in the battle for positions 21 to 24.