World number one DING Ning (CHN) is the 2014 ITTF Women's World Cup Champion after beating archrival and Olympic Champion LI Xiaoxia in the final in Linz, Austria, on 19 October 2014.
After defeating LI 11-9, 11-4, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9 in a master class of table tennis in front of a capacity crowd at the Sportzentrum Lissfeld arena, 24-year-old DING stated: "I am very happy to have won the Women's World Cup for a second time (first was in 2011). It is always tough playing against LI, we have had many battles in the past and I am very glad that I won this one."
Despite the score line, the final was anything but a one sided affair, with every point no point being easy for the Chinese rivals.
This was the 19th time that these two legends of the game have met, with DING Ning now leading the head to head 11-8. DING's win here in Linz also means that she has now beaten LI in all the major finals (2011 ITTF Women's World Cup, 2011 ITTF World Championships and 2014 ITTF Women's World Cup), except the 2012 Olympic Games, where LI was victorious.
Linz, which this year hosted the first ever Women's World Cup held outside Asia, is very special to DING, as it is the city where she won the 2005 ITTF World Junior Championships, her first step to international stardom.
DING commented: "I have always had fantastic experiences here in Linz. I hope I can come back here to play more tournaments and win more titles."
The number three seed Kasumi ISHIKAWA (JPN) defeated the surprise package of the tournament, Georgina POTA, 11-9, 8-11, 6-11, 11-3, 7-11, 11-9, 11-4 to clinch the third position.
ISHIKAWA was pleased with her third position, but is determined to do better next year: "Overall I am very happy, and next year I hope to reach the final! Georgina made few unforced errors; playing against her you must force the errors. Her backhand is special, very strong; also her serves are difficult to read. I had to be aggressive and play point by point."
Attention now turns to the LIEBHERR 2014 ITTF Men's World Cup, which kicks off on Friday 24 October 2014 in Dusseldorf, Germany.
For more information, please contact ITTF's Promotion Manager Matt Pound at mpound@ittfmail.com.
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