World table tennis boss predicted a strong challenge by Germany's Timo Boll and Japan's Ai Fukuhara against heavily-favored Chinese in the Olympic Games?in Beijing?on Wednesday.
"In the singles events, I think German players have chance to upset the Chinese. Timo Bll has the most chance, and Vladimir Samsonov from Belarus as well. Also some younger players who are not afraid and have nothing to lose, maybe can cause some surprise," Adham Sharara, president of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), told Xinhua in an interview.
"I looked some of the matches today and of course China looks very very strong. So my prediction is it's not a surprise if China win the gold medals both in the men's and women's team," admitted Sharara after watching the first round of team group stage earlier on Wednesday.
"Singles are different...In one aspect, China's very strong because the three players are ranked No. 1 to 3 in the world. But in the singles I don't know (who'll win the Olympic gold), because it depends on how the Chinese players take the pressure from the press, public and the Chinese people," he said.
"If they are a little bit nervous they can lose. But if they are confident and they are feeling strong, then of course they are the favorites," added the Egypt-born Canadian.
The Olympic table tennis tournament kicked off Wednesday morning, as the newly introduced team events got underway with a special best-of-three format of two singles and a doubles match before another two singles if in need.
German trio Timo Boll, Christian Suss and Dimitrij Ovtchrov have been reckoned the ones to put real threat upon the Chinese, but Sharara ruled out a best chance for them in the men's team event.
"Yes, it's possible. These are the players that could beat the Chinese. Because they have nothing to lose, they are not favorite, and not so much pressure on them. Because they are not expected to win," he said. "So if one day they play really high level, and the Chinese players are a little bit nervous, then it's possible that they have a chance."
"But in team it's difficult because they have to win three matches, especially a doubles. And the Chinese are very strong in doubles," said Sharara.
On women's part, Japanese star Ai Fukuhara has been rated the most unlucky one after being drawn into the same quarter with defending champion and current world No. 1 Zhang Yining, which couldn't be agreed by the ITTF boss.
"My opinion is opposite. I think if she want to win a medal here in Beijing she must beat one of the three Chinese players and her best chance to beat a Chinese player is in an earlier round," said Sharara.
"If she meets Zhang Yining in the semifinals or in the quarterfinals, I think it's very difficult for her. because Chinese players come stronger and stronger in the later rounds. This's a tradition for Chinese in Olympic Games," he said, raising an example of the 3-2 tough victory by Wang Nan eight years ago in Sydney in the first round.
"I think for Ai Fukuhara, if she wants to win a medal, the best chance for her is to beat the best player in the beginning, then she takes the draw of the best player and she has the best draw to reach the final. Imagine Zhang Yining play only 80 percent and Fukuhara play 110 percent," he added.
The Olympic table tennis tournament will run through Aug. 23 with the men's singles final on the last day and the women's on Aug. 22. The men's and women's team events is to end on Sunday and Monday respectively with 16 teams each.
(Xinhua News Agency August 13,2008)