National table tennis head coach Liu Guoliang doesn't know if the proper term is competitive, aggressive or just plain greedy, but he is sure he is one of them.

With less than a fortnight before the world table tennis championships start in Zagreb, Liu is ready to delight the millions of home fans by completing another title sweep.

"Although no one has imposed any specific gold medal target on us, we are looking forward to more world championships glory," said Liu, who will lead a 12-strong squad to the May 21-27 tournament alongside Shi Zhihao and his 12-player women's squad.

The Chinese men's and women's teams left for Austria for pre-worlds camp on Saturday and Liu said defeat to foreign players will not be tolerated.

"I don't want to see my players losing to foreign rivals," said Liu. "We have done a good job in preparing for the world championships, selecting the best players through three open trials and thoroughly studying potential title competitors."

Best preparation?

Defending world champion Wang Liqin and four-time World Cup holder Ma Lin have entered the men's singles, doubles and mixed doubles events, while 29-year-old Wang Nan and 18-year-old Guo Yue will be the busiest players on the women's team, each playing three events.

The world's top-rated woman Zhang Yining, who skipped the Asian Games last year, will play women's singles and doubles events.

To better prepare for one of the most important rehearsals for the Beijing Games, the men's and women's squads had a 35-day training camp in Xiamen and Zhengding respectively.

Nine players from the men's squad and 10 from the women's, out of 12 each, have been selected from a series of trials, which were called the "Road to Zagreb" before and during the training camp.

According to the selection rules, all established players including world champions Wang Liqin and Zhang Yining had to fight against younger teammates for a world championships berth.

"The trials ensured that the world championships tickets were handed to those who deserved them. It's a fairer way than the previous method in which coaches handpicked the players," commented Liu.

"But it'll be the last time that China's table tennis team drives an 'express train' when selecting a squad for a world-class event before the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008," he added.

The Chinese team used open trials for the first time before the Bremen world team championships last year.

"There will be only three men's and three women's players from each association playing the singles and team events of the table tennis tournament in the Beijing Olympic Games. It would be irrational if we gave some players Olympic berths just according to results of one or two trials," Liu added.

According to the 31-year-old coach, all 12 men have made excellent preparations for the upcoming worlds.

"Veteran Wang Liqin and teenage sensation Ma Long maintained good form throughout the training camp, while four-time World Cup winner Ma Lin and Olympic silver medalist Wang Hao had been up and down but they concluded the camp in good shape," said Liu.

"And as for the selection of defensive player Hou Yingchao, we hope he will turn out to be our secret weapon," he added.

On the women's side, head coach Shi Zhihao said all players were in a normal state except top-rated Zhang Yining, who suffered a slight groin strain.

"Zhang had been widely criticized for her poor form, as she missed the Doha Asian Games in December before performing poorly early this year and failing to make the final at any of the four Pro-tour Opens.

"But the worst time has passed, and Zhang will stand tall again at the worlds," said Shi.

South Korea competition

Looking at the competition at the worlds, both Liu and Shi agreed that the South Koreans would pose the biggest threat to China's title defense.

"The men's singles event will see the world's powerhouses slug it out. The top 50 players in the world men's singles rankings will all be threatening," said Liu.

He listed seven players as potential banana skins, including Oh Sang En and Ryu Seung Min, both of South Korea, triple European champion Timo Boll of Germany and former world champion Werner Schlager of Austria.

Women's coach Shi Zhihao also rated South Korea as the biggest threats.

"South Koreans are strong in both men's and women's events. Defensive player Kim Kyung Ah, South Korea's best female paddler, has beaten almost every Chinese player except Zhang Yining, and her partnership with Kim Bok Rae is the best women's doubles pair outside of China."

Liu and Shi also pinpointed Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei and Singapore as threats.

"As the defending champions, Chinese players have been well-studied by all their rivals. What we can do is stay cautious and play our own games," said Liu.

(China Daily May 15, 2007)