Earlier in their three previous meetings on the ITTF Pro Tour, and always in the third round, Ma held the 2-1 advantage with victories at the Singapore Open and the Croatian Open, with Wang winning the China Open. In the Kuwait Open, Ma made the better start as he went ahead 5-3 and moved ahead 10-6 before winning the first game 11-8.

However, reigning world champion Wang Liqin responded in the second game. He went ahead 8-5 and led 9-6 before having game point at 10-6 and won it for one game each. The third game saw Ma Long attack consistently and established a 7-3 lead.

By attacking the backhand of Wang, he extended the lead to 9-4 and 10-4 leads, winning the game at the first opportunity. Ma gave Wang little time to reply and raced into a 7-3 lead in the fourth game when Wang called "time-out".

Wang reduced the arrears to 9-6, then came the "time-out" from Ma who won the next two points for three games to one ahead. From a 5-1 lead in the fifth game, Wang extended to 7-3 and surrendered no further points to claw back. In the sixth game, Wang made errors in attacks with the forehand.

And from 6-all, the match was becoming like a training exercise with Ma attacking and Wang blocking. At 10-9, Ma had match point, he took the opportunity and secured a place in the final.

Zhang Yining Stumbles as Guo Yue Makes Women's Singles Final

Fifth-seeded Guo Yue beat top seed fellow Chinese Zhang Yining in the first semi-final of the women's singles of the Kuwait Open table tennis tournament on Thursday.

In a closely fought seven games duel, Guo rallied from a three games to two deficit to win 5-11, 16-14, 7-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-7 and 11-5.

Atop the current ITTF women's world ranking list, the reigning Olympic and world champion Zhang once again failed to reach a women's singles final on the ITTF Pro Tour in 2007.

She has played in Croatia, Slovenia, Qatar and now Kuwait, on each occasion she has stumbled before the final hurdle.

Zhang made the better start in the opening game as she established a 5-2 lead, serving consistently short and varying the direction of her first attacking stroke; more often than not attacking with her fast forehand.

Guo reduced the arrears to 5-3 but then the next four points all went to Zhang, who eventually won the game 11-5 on her second match point.

Attacking strongly from the forehand, Guo tested Zhang in the early stages of the second game and Zhang was forced to use her blocking skills to create angles in order to maintain parity.

At 9-all, the two were locked in combat; the next point went the way of Zhang and then a stroke of fortune for Guo Yue. She attacked Zhang service with her forehand topspin, the ball clipped the edge of the table.

With another stroke of fortune, Guo's backhand return hit the top of the net when she was leading 15-14.

The third game was again close as the scores reached 6-all with Zhang to serve. She served with the backhand and won the next two points. On Guo's service, Zhang had a 9-7 lead.

In the fourth game, Guo attacked with her forehand. At 8-all, Guo served to win both points. Zhang saved the first game point but not the second and the match score was level at two games all.

In the fifth game, both players looked for every opportunity to take an advantage with Zhang moving ahead 7-5. She maintained the two point advantage and held game point 10-7 before Guo failed in her forehand flick.

Guo went ahead 7-4 and extended the lead to 10-5, eventually winning the sixth game on her third game point.

In the deciding seventh game, Guo established a 4-2 lead and ahead 5-4 when the players changed ends. She extended the lead to 8-4 with Zhang Yining making errors when blocking. At 10-5, she seized the first opportunity and won the game 11-5 and was into the final.

In a closely fought seven games duel, Guo rallied from a three games to two deficit to win 5-11, 16-14, 7-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-7 and 11-5.

Atop the current ITTF women's world ranking list, the reigning Olympic and world champion Zhang once again failed to reach a women's singles final on the ITTF Pro Tour in 2007.

She has played in Croatia, Slovenia, Qatar and now Kuwait, on each occasion she has stumbled before the final hurdle.

Zhang made the better start in the opening game as she established a 5-2 lead, serving consistently short and varying the direction of her first attacking stroke; more often than not attacking with her fast forehand.

Guo reduced the arrears to 5-3 but then the next four points all went to Zhang, who eventually won the game 11-5 on her second match point.

Attacking strongly from the forehand, Guo tested Zhang in the early stages of the second game and Zhang was forced to use her blocking skills to create angles in order to maintain parity.

At 9-all, the two were locked in combat; the next point went the way of Zhang and then a stroke of fortune for Guo Yue. She attacked Zhang service with her forehand topspin, the ball clipped the edge of the table.

With another stroke of fortune, Guo's backhand return hit the top of the net when she was leading 15-14.

The third game was again close as the scores reached 6-all with Zhang to serve. She served with the backhand and won the next two points. On Guo's service, Zhang had a 9-7 lead.

In the fourth game, Guo attacked with her forehand. At 8-all, Guo served to win both points. Zhang saved the first game point but not the second and the match score was level at two games all.

In the fifth game, both players looked for every opportunity to take an advantage with Zhang moving ahead 7-5. She maintained the two point advantage and held game point 10-7 before Guo failed in her forehand flick.

Guo went ahead 7-4 and extended the lead to 10-5, eventually winning the sixth game on her third game point.

In the deciding seventh game, Guo established a 4-2 lead and ahead 5-4 when the players changed ends. She extended the lead to 8-4 with Zhang Yining making errors when blocking. At 10-5, she seized the first opportunity and won the game 11-5 and was into the final.