By James Crook

149544275April 7 - Chinese Olympic and world champion Zhang Jike continued to struggle for form in the singles at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Korea Open in Incheon City after suffering defeat again, but he still left Incheon with a gold medal after coming out victorious in the doubles with South Korean partner Seo Hyundeok.


Zhang slumped to a frustrating defeat against countryman and world number 22 Yan An in the singles, but left with some pride in tact after successfully navigating the singles tournament with Hyundeok as Chinese players teamed up with international players for the first time.

Zhang and Hyundeok defeated another Chinese/Korean pairing in the final, overcoming world number one Ma Long and partner Lee Jungwoo 3-2.

In the men's singles, world number two Xu Xin defeated world number one Ma Long in the final to end his compatriots incredible 50-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory, bettering the silver he won at the same event last year.

With the Chinese women's players on a break prior to the Liebherr 2013 World Table Tennis Championships in Paris next month, other players were given a huge opportunity to get their hands on the title.

It was home favourite and world number 32 Seo Hyowon that stepped up to the plate, shocking the home crowd by not only reaching the final, but coming out victorious in her first ever international final.

374509 607469765949697 520340376 nKorean Seo Hyowon pulled off a massive shock to win the women's singles in Incheon, defeating Japan's Kasumi Ishikawa in the final

The Korean defeated Japanese world number nine and number three seed for the tournament Kasumi Ishikawa in a battling seven-game final to the delight of the Incheon crowd.

And the success continued for the home nation as they also took gold in the women's doubles, when Park Youngsook and Yang Haeun defeated Japanese pair Jeon Jihee and Lee Eunhee by three games to one in the final to ensure success for South Korea in three of the four events.

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