Dream final between Ma and Zhang evaporates as Zhang loses to unknown teammate (updated)

A dream men's singles final between world No.1 Ma Long and defending champion Zhang Jike won't happen here as an exhausted Zhang was stunned by obscure teammate Fang Bo 4-1 in the semifinals here on Sunday.

Prior to the semifinal, Zhang had joked that the late men's doubles final, which was delayed by a lengthy women's singles final on Saturday evening, might affect his rest and form, and the world No. 3 indeed struggled during his singles semifinal against a robust Fang.

In the women's singles final, the eventual winner Ding Ning was dragged into a seven-set thriller by teammate Liu Shiwen, and Ding was injured in the final set and asked for a medical treatment. The delay affected Ding's play but she still fought all the way to the victory.

Unlike Ding, Zhang never recovered from exhaustion and a nagging right shoulder injury in the semifinal.

Zhang staged some sizzling shots in the match, but it was not good enough to beat a rising Fang. Zhang pulled one set back after losing the first two, but was struggling again in the fourth and fifth sets.

The twice defending champion saved one match point while trailing 9-10 in the fifth set, but Fang reeled off the next two points to claim a berth in the final.

Zhang, who has completed the career Grand Slam by winning the world championships, World Cup and Olympic singles titles, declined to attribute his loss to the lack of rest or injury.

"Fang fought fiercely, and I adjusted myself a bit slower," Zhang said in the mixed zone.

The Ma-Zhang rivalry can be seen as the most absorbing contention in recent table tennis history.

In men's World Cup final last October, Zhang beat Ma in a classic seven-game thriller, but put his foot through two of the advertisement boards guarding the court in celebration, which earned him an unprecedented hefty fine of 45,000 US dollars.

After reaching the final in Suzhou, Ma said that a final match against Zhang would be a match that "all Chinese want to see", and he felt no pressure against Zhang.

But for Ma, who was stopped at the semifinals three times in 2009, 2011, and 2013 tournaments in a row, it's the best possible chance for him to win the men's singles crown while playing against the underdog Fang in the final.

On the other hand, with the most important match in his life so far, Fang reckoned himself as a challenger.

"Ma is the best table tennis player in the world and he is better in all aspects. So I will mainly focus on playing to my best and fight for the championship," the 23-year-old Fang said. Endit