Korean Mixed Double Defeated China to Advance Final

Oh Sang-eun(Samsung Life Insurance) and Kim Moo-kyo(KAL), having shown a best condition among Korean team during the 2001 World Table Tennis Championships in Osaka, Japan, finally `made happen`on 4th.

Oh and Kim won at the mixed doubles semifinal against China`s Liu Guoliang and Sun Jin with the score 3-1 (21-19, 16-21, 21-19, 21-15) at the 46th World Table Tennis Championship in Osaka, and made it to the final, ensuring silver medal.

This is the third Korean team`s advancement to the final at the World Table Tennis Championship, following Yoo Nam-kyu and Hyun Jung-hwa, who won the title in 1989 and won the silver medal in 1993.

Oh and Kim were leading the match from the first set with aggressive play and allowed to chase up to 19-18, but took the initiative finishing the set due to the opponent`s faults. Oh and Kim, lost the second set, were being lead by 11-15 at the third set, but chased steadily up to 18-19 and finally reversed the game by getting three consecutive points. And at the fourth set, they followed up a victory easily.

Kim Taek-soo (Korea Cigarette and Ginseng, world ranking 9th), only Korean player moving on to singles semi-quarterfinals, advanced quarterfinals, defeating Zoran Primorac (world ranking 7th), 3-0 (21-16, 21-17, 21-16). Kim will have a match with Wang Liqin (world ranking 1st) to move on to semifinals.

Joo Sung-Won swon@donga.com