Joint Korean table tennis team once again teams up for action at 2018 ITTF Grand Finals
- 5 years ago
'또 다시 뭉쳤다',... 남북 탁구 단일팀, 장우진-차효심 인천에서 열리는 그랜드파이널스 출전
This week, South Korea is hosting one of the biggest events in table tennis, the World Tour Grand Finals.
And competing in the mixed doubles... are a South Korean man and a North Korean woman -- the same pair who won a tournament together back in July.
Won Jung-hwan reports.
Table tennis's biggest stars are in the South Korean city of Incheon, aiming for glory at the 2018 World Tour Grand Finals.
The top 16 players in the men's and women's singles, and the top eight teams in the men's, women's and mixed doubles, based on their performances in the 12 World Tour events, are competing in the 4-day tournament which opened on Thursday.
And among the table tennis superstars, the spotlight for this year's tournament is on the joint Korean team.
Jang Woo-jin from South Korea and Cha Hyo-sim from North Korea have once again teamed up in the mixed doubles in front of South Korean spectators.
Jang and Cha won the mixed doubles title at the Korea Open in Daejeon back in July,… They also played together at the Austria Open last month, losing in the semifinals to a Chinese duo.
The unified team faced 2017 world champions ( ) Maharu Yoshimura and ( ) Kasumi Ishikawa of Japan in their first match,... but backed by the home crowd, they managed to earn a 3-to-2 victory.
Ever humble, after the game, the united Korean teammates complimented each other for a wonderful start.
"I had some pressure during the game because we were facing the defending champions in the first match. As I was nervous we dragged out the game for quite long, but I think we managed to win because my sister did so well."
"My little brother did well and that is why we grabbed a win today."
"With a victory in the quarterfinals stage on Thursday,… the united Korean pair of Jang and Cha are one step closer to their dream of being crowned mixed doubles champions for the second time in their international careers. Won Jung-hwan, Arirang News, Incheon."
This week, South Korea is hosting one of the biggest events in table tennis, the World Tour Grand Finals.
And competing in the mixed doubles... are a South Korean man and a North Korean woman -- the same pair who won a tournament together back in July.
Won Jung-hwan reports.
Table tennis's biggest stars are in the South Korean city of Incheon, aiming for glory at the 2018 World Tour Grand Finals.
The top 16 players in the men's and women's singles, and the top eight teams in the men's, women's and mixed doubles, based on their performances in the 12 World Tour events, are competing in the 4-day tournament which opened on Thursday.
And among the table tennis superstars, the spotlight for this year's tournament is on the joint Korean team.
Jang Woo-jin from South Korea and Cha Hyo-sim from North Korea have once again teamed up in the mixed doubles in front of South Korean spectators.
Jang and Cha won the mixed doubles title at the Korea Open in Daejeon back in July,… They also played together at the Austria Open last month, losing in the semifinals to a Chinese duo.
The unified team faced 2017 world champions ( ) Maharu Yoshimura and ( ) Kasumi Ishikawa of Japan in their first match,... but backed by the home crowd, they managed to earn a 3-to-2 victory.
Ever humble, after the game, the united Korean teammates complimented each other for a wonderful start.
"I had some pressure during the game because we were facing the defending champions in the first match. As I was nervous we dragged out the game for quite long, but I think we managed to win because my sister did so well."
"My little brother did well and that is why we grabbed a win today."
"With a victory in the quarterfinals stage on Thursday,… the united Korean pair of Jang and Cha are one step closer to their dream of being crowned mixed doubles champions for the second time in their international careers. Won Jung-hwan, Arirang News, Incheon."