Wang Liqin upset Olympic gold medalist Ma Lin in an all-Chinese match yesterday to advance to the men's singles final at the table tennis world championships in Yokohama, Japan.

Wang Liqin exults after beating Ma Lin in the men's singles semifinals yesterday. [Shanghai Daily]

Wang, seeded fifth, needed the full seven sets for an 11-5, 12-14, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6 win over the second-seeded Ma.

Wang will face top-seeded compatriot Wang Hao in today's final at Yokohama Arena. Wang Hao defeated third-seeded Ma Long 12-10, 11-8, 10-12, 11-9, 11-9 in another all-China semifinal.

China won all the table tennis gold medals at last year's Beijing Olympics and is assured of sweeping the podium at the worlds in both men's and women's singles.

In the women's singles, Olympic champion Zhang Yining advanced to the final with a six-set win over Liu Shiwen yesterday. The top-seeded Zhang beat Liu 11-8, 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 10-12, 11-8 and will meet second-seeded Guo Yue in today's final.

Defending champion Guo defeated third-seeded Li Xiaoxia of China 11-8, 11-5, 10-12, 11-5, 11-9 in the other semifinal.

In the men's doubles semifinals, the Chinese pair of Ma Long and Xu Xin defeated Japan's Jun Mizutani and Seiya Kishikawa 11-6, 11-8, 11-3, 11-5.

Mizutani and Kishikawa settled for the bronze medal, Japan's first medal in 12 years at the worlds.

Chen Qi and Wang Hao later beat Ma and Xu 6-11, 13-11, 13-11, 11-5, 11-9 to snatch the doubles title. Chen and Wang had earlier defeated Chinese pair Zhang Jike and Hao Shuai 4-1 in the other semifinal.

In women's doubles, Guo Yue and Li Xiaoxia of China defeated Ding Ning and Guo Yan 11-8, 12-10, 11-4, 3-11, 11-7. Dang and Guo Yan had earlier defeated South Korea's Kim Kyung-ah and Park Mi-young. The Koreans took the bronze medal.

Guo Yue and Li Xiaoxia ousted Jiang Huajun and Tie Yana of Chinese Hong Kong in the other semifinals.

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily May 5, 2009)