Ma Long continues his dominance

November 22, 2009
Winner of the Men’s Singles title at the English Open some three weeks earlier in the city of Sheffield; Ma Long was repeated that form to win the Men’s Singles title at the Asian Championships in Lucknow on Sunday November 22, 2009.

He was as devastating as he had been in Sheffield with both Ma Long and his adversary giving total commitment just as Li Xiaoxia and Ding Ning had done before in the Women’s Singles final.

It was China versus China but that was forgotten, the crowd was seeing too fine athletes battle for the top prize.

Ma Long won 11-8, 11-2, 11-5, 12-14, 3-11, 11-5

Similar Style
Two players of similar ilk, Ma Long and Zhang Jike faced each other to determine the Men’s Singles gold medal.

Both right handed, both shakehands grip players, both dynamic athletes.

Better Start
It was Ma Long who made the better start; he won the first four points of the opening game. Immediately he found a rhythm, the forehand as always very much in evidence; a full swing of the arm, excessive use of the legs and a virtual pirouette.

Nevertheless, Zhang Jike stuck to the task and exchanged blow for blow but from losing the first four points he was never able to claw back the deficit; the opening game went to Ma Long.

Juggernaut
The opening game win had added to the confidence of Ma Long, not that that was needed, in the second game he sped into an 8-0 lead; he pressurized Zhang Jike into errors.

He could do no wrong. Eventually he won the game 11-2.

Clearly the momentum was with Ma Long; it was like trying to stop a juggernaut; the juggernaut was in top gear, overdrive.

In the third game Ma Long raced into a 6-1 lead. It was a commanding lead and it was converted; Ma Long was two games to nil ahead.

Character
Was there any way back for Zhang Jike? Perhaps a power cut witnessed earlier in the week might have helped.

However, Zhang Jike is a young man of character, a facet he displayed amply in the Men’s Team final earlier in the week when he steered China to gold; in the fourth game he went ahead 5-3 but with fleet of foot and power of forehand, Ma Long gained parity.

Zhang Jike replied, he went ahead 7-5, then 8-6 but then Ma Long responded to draw level at 9-all.

At 10-9 Zhang Jike had game point; game points came and went with Zhang Jike eventually succeeding at 14-12. The deficit had been reduced.

More Consistent
Now Zhang Jike was playing with a higher level of consistency and Ma Long in his efforts to force the pace was making errors. In the fifth game, Zhang Jike established a 7-1 lead.

The game was captured by Zhang Jike, the deficit in games was down to one.

Top Speed
Ma Long returned to the surrounds, deep in thought, he returned to the table; he raised the tempo, breakneck speed, he attacked and moved into a 3-1 lead before the umpire on duty decided to foul serve the star for not holding his hand flat.

The decision somewhat unnerved Ma Long; Zhang Jike drew level at 3-all. However, soon, Ma Long was back in full flow. He greeted every rip roaring forehand with a rip roaring deep throated cry.

Mission Accomplished
He went ahead 6-4, Zhang Jike called “Time Out”, it was only a temporary stay of execution.

Ma Long was in the zone and he was the champion; he had completed a full house of titles, champion in every event for which he was eligible; a tremdous achievement.