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China ease past Greece at table tennis worlds

Xinhua, March 26, 2012

• Defending world champions China started their mission for an 18th world table tennis title with a 3-0 victory over Greece on Sunday in Dortmund, Germany.

  Zhang Jike of China returns a ball to Konstantinos Papageorgiou of Greece in the men's event at the World Team Championships in Dortmund on March 25, 2012.

  Defending individual world champion Zhang Jike opened the tournament for the Chinese men with a 3-0 win over Konstantinos Papageorgiou in 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 in Group A.

  Wang Hao added a 3-0 against Kalinikos Kreanga in 11-4, 11-9, 11-6 and Ma Long, No. 1 on the world ranking, completed the hat- trick with a 3-0 victory over Panagiotis Gionis in 11-5, 11-4, 11- 5.

  "The first match in such a big tournament is always very important," said Zhang Jike. "You need to try to fit to the environment, like the speed of the ball, the light, and the atmosphere. The opponent today was not so strong. However, no matter who stands against me, I will try my best always."

  In Group B, second placed Germany had already beaten Czech Republic earlier on Sunday and also proved to be too strong for their second opponent Spain in 3-0. Timo Boll eased past Carlos Machado in 11-7, 11-5, 11-5 and Dimitrij Ovtcharov did the same with Marc Duran in 11-3, 11-3, 11-7.

  Finally Bastian Steger beat Alfredo Carneros 3-1 in 4-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-3. "We had a very good start, it's always difficult to enter a tournament like this in good shape," Boll declared. " Especially in this big arena you have to get the feeling for the balls. We were the favorites in our games and the first match was a little more difficult with more spectators, more pressure, we were more nervous. The whole atmosphere was a little different in the second, easier, more relaxed with less spectators."

  "It was pretty exciting with 5,500 thousand spectators during the first match," Ovtcharov said. "But we had to adjust to the conditions. The second game was much better for me. I played very aggressive. The whole team was more used to the very big hall."

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