Wang Nan outlasted her Asian Games conqueror Zhang Yining in a gripping seven-setter, winning her third straight women's singles title at the world table tennis championships in Paris on Saturday.

Wang Nan, winner at Osaka in 2001 and Eindhoven in 1999, held off a late surge by top seed Zhang Yining for the winning scores of 11-7, 11-8, 11-4, 5-11, 6-11, 8-11, 11-5.

Although dethroned at the top of the world rankings by Zhang Yining, who hadn't dropped a set here all week, Wang Nan used wide-angled shots to subdue her ambitious teammate in the deciding set.

The 24-year-old Olympic champion paved the way for victory by beating top-ranked European Tamara Boros of Croatia in the morning's semi-final.

This was her second gold medal after paired with Ma Lin to win the mixed doubles on Friday. With the mixed doubles title, Wang became the first player ever to have won any of seven world championship crowns.

Wang shed tears of joy after the victory.

"I've been through too much and that's why I am so emotional," she said.

Wang Nan had suffered waterloo defeats in last October's Asian Games, where she conceded two matches in China's team final loss to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and yielded the singles crown to Zhang Yining.

"I would thank my coach Qiao Hong," Wang said. "Without her, I couldn't reach where I am."

Qiao, former world champion, was called to the Chinese team to guide Wang Nan out of her most difficult time.

Olympic doubles winners Wang Liqin and Yan Sen won China's third gold here as they beat Kong Linghui and Wang Hao 4-2 in the all-Chinese men's doubles final.

However, China's bid for the men's singles top honor was in doubt after two of their top players crashed out earlier in the day.

South Korean Joo Se Hyuk chopped his way to the semifinals by beating Ma Lin 4-3, while Austrian Werner Schlager rallied to oust defending champion Wang Liqin with the same score line.

Olympic singles champion Kong Linhui was the only Chinese in the last four. He will meet Schlager with Joo taking on Kalinikos Kreanga of Greece.

Yao Zhenxu, chairman of the technical committee of the International Table Tennis Federation, suggested Joo might get the last laugh.

"It is hard to say who will win the title, but it is also very difficult for others to beat Joo," he said.

(China Daily May 25, 2003)