Athens Olympic champions Ma Lin and Chen Qi took one step closer to the men's doubles title as they joined two other Chinese pairs in the semi-finals at the world table tennis championships in Shanghai on Tuesday.

Kong Linghui/Wang Hao set up an all-Chinese semi-final match-up with teammates Wang Liqin/Yan Sen, who dispatched Cheung Yuk/Leung Chu Yan from Hong Kong, China in the quater-finals.

Wang/Yan defeated South Koreans Lee Jung Woo/Ryu Seung Min 4-1 for a semi-final berth.

Ma and Chen came from a 2-0 deficit to beat Chiang and Chuan 4-2 in another quarter-final match.

They will face Germany's Timo Boll/Christian Suss, who beat Poland's Lucjan Blaszczyk/Wang Zengyi to claim the last semi berth.

After losing the first two sets quickly, Ma and Chen used a 11-2 third-set win to calm down and find the rythme of the game.

They took an early lead on every set from then on and never give any chance to their opponents, who are tagged as the best pair of the Chinese Taipei team.

Kong/Wang ran away with a 3-0 lead to take the driving seat of the game and won 4-1. Their Hong Kong opponents pulled down one set at 11-9 but could not turn the tide.

Wang/Yan had big challenge at the start of another quarter-final tie as they lost the first set 13-11 before taking the next two 11-4 and 14-12.

The South Koreans let the game loose after being downed 2-1 and Wang/Yan won the next two sets to seal the match in their favor.

Boll/Suss also took an easy win at 4-1 when they won the final three sets.

(Xinhua News Agency May 3, 2005)