Chinese table tennis players made their clean sweep of four gold medals at the ITTF Pro Tour Croatian Open in Zagreb, the first of the year 2007, the sport's world governing body said on its website on Sunday.

In the finals on Saturday evening, 23-year-old Hao Shuai maintained Chinese pride when he won the men's singles after top four Chinese male stars had all bowed out in round three.

Hao Shuai toppled defending champion Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus 11-7, 11-7, 10-12, 9-11, 13-11, 12-10 to succeed at last for his first career ITTF Pro Tour men's singles title.

Hao Shuai, the rising Chinese star, also ended 2006 on a high note by winning the men's doubles at the Pro Tour Grand Finals in December together with Ma Long where they beat reigning Olympic champions Chen Qi and Ma Lin in a gripping seven games final.

With the victory, Hao Shuai also levelled his record to Samsonov 1-1 in a world ranking event.

Eighteen-year-old Guo Yue retained her women's singles crown, beating national teammate Wang Nan in full seven games 11-6, 11-9, 2-11, 11-13, 11-7, 8-11, 11-4 for her fourth singles title of career on the ITTF Pro Tour.

She won her first in 2003 at the Japan Open, then in 2005 at the China Open and again in 2006 in the first two tournaments of the year.

Guo Yue also won both the Slovenia Open and at the Croatia Open.

For the Chinese left-handed duo, it was their ninth meeting in the world ranking events, and Guo Yue has now reduced the deficit to one.

In the men's doubles, China's Ma Lin and Wang Hao, the number two seeds, powered their way to the top of the podium, beating their South Korean peers Cho Eon Rae and Lee Jung Woo four to nil 11-3, 13-11, 11-7 and 14-12.

En route to the final, the Chinese had conceded only one single game in the semi-finals against another South Korean partnership, Kim Jung Hoon and Oh Sang Eun.

Ma Lin and Wang Hao who both suffered singles disappointments, had their eyes set firmly on the doubles gold, and they won in straight games in fashion.

For Ma Lin, it was his 28th men's doubles title on the ITTF Pro Tour, and the 10th for Wang Hao. Ma Lin also won three at the ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals where Wang Hao was still to capture his first.

Together it was their fifth career men's doubles title on the ITTF Pro having won in 2001 in Japan, 2003 in Denmark and Sweden and in 2006 in Japan.

Meanwhile, it was their best ever men's doubles performance on the ITTF Pro Tour for the Korean duo.

In the women's doubles, Chen Qing and Li Xiaoxia triumphed over Oksana Fadeeva of Russia and Veronika Pavlovich of Belarus in the close final at full seven games 11-5, 6-11, 13-11, 11-13, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6.

The Chinese duo reaped success at their first attempt as it was the first ever title on the ITTF Pro Tour for Chen Qing who paired with Wang Nan, but lost the semifinal to Chinese Hong Kong Tie Yana and Zhang Rui at the Asian Games in Doha in early December 2006.

In Zagreb it was a different story, with Li Xiaoxia, Chen Qing was the champion and it was a belated birthday present as she celebrated her 23rd birthday on 15th January 2007.

And for Li Xiaoxia, it was her fourth ITTF Pro Tour title.

Undoubtedly for Fadeeva and Pavlovich, it was intense disappointment to come so close to gold. Nevertheless, they can take heart from their efforts and they are establishing themselves as a formidable partnership.
 
(Xinhua News Agency January 22, 2007)