RISING SUPER STAR - MAKING AUSTRALIAN TABLE TENNIS HISTORY

The 2021 World Table Tennis (WTT) Contender event in Novo Mesto, Slovenia has proved the perfect international stage for Australia’s representative Yangzi Liu - one of table tennis aspiring young stars to shine.

The 19-year-old NSW rising super star made Australian table tennis history in recent weeks which included her three U19 Girls’ Singles crowns at WTT Youth Series events in Lignano, Senec and Szombathely which included a bag full of gold medals. Yangzi is one of the top youth players in the world now after her recent gold rush in Europe for Australia and boasts the 11th new world youth ranking.

On 12 Nov 2021, at Slovenia World Table Tennis Contender event, with her world senior ranking 375th, Yangzi demonstrated one of the most memorable victories for Australia on the international stage. She defeated Xiaona Shan, the world number 37 player in five games. Xiaona is a German Olympic Silver medallist, European Games Gold medallist and European Table Tennis Championships Gold medallist.

It was Yangzi’s career best victory and capped off a perfect day for Australian table tennis. Earlier in the day in an historic display Yangzi and Min Hyung Jee from QLD won Australia’s first bronze medal in a World Table Tennis senior event.

Yangzi has won 28 consecutive matches in 4 World Table Tennis Events since 29 Oct 2021 at WTT Youth Contender Lignano, Italy in another historic record for Australian table tennis.

As a rising Australian super star, Yangzi Liu stood out from the crowd as she has already won six ITTF/WTT Youth Series titles in the last 3 years even though ITTF/WTT cancelled 30 of 34 scheduled Junior/Youth events in 2020, and cancelled 15 of 27 of Junior/Youth events in 2021 due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The journey and achievements of Yangzi in 7 ITTF/WTT events are summarised as:

2021 WTT Contender Novo Mesto, Slovenia: Bronze Medal - Women’s Doubles

2021 WTT Youth Contender Szombathely, Hungary: Gold Medal - U19 Girls’ Singles

2021 WTT Youth Contender Senec, Slovak Republic: Gold Medal - U19 Girls’ Singles

2021 WTT Youth Contender Lignano, Italy: Gold Medal - U19 Girls’ Singles

2019 Finlandia Open, Lohja, Finland: Gold Medal - Women’s Singles

2019 Tabletennis11 Estonian Open, Tallin, Estonia: Gold Medal - Women’s Singles

2019 Tabletennis11 Estonian Open, Tallin, Estonia: Gold Medal - U19 Girls’ Singles

2018 ITTF Portugal Junior & Cadet Open, Guimarães: Gold Medal - U19 Girls’ Singles

TTNSW Director, Dr Michael Li said: “As a rising Australian super star from NSW, Yangzi Liu, has made  Australian table tennis history within 16 days: the highest world female youth ranking (11^th) in Australia, the first medal (Bronze Medal of Women’s Doubles with Min Hyung Jee) in World Table Tennis senior events for Australia; the first U19 Girls’ Singles Gold Medal in World Table Tennis junior event for Australia; 3 U19 Girls’ Singles Gold Medals in World Table Tennis junior events for Australia; winning 28 consecutive matches in 4 World Table Tennis Events; and defeating World No 37th player Xiaona Shan from Germany, who holds 4 gold medals and 6 silver medals from Olympic Games, European Table Tennis Championships and European Games.”

“Yangzi Started professional table tennis training at 4 years old in Shanghai, China and has continued her high level professional trainings and competitions in China, South Korea, Portugal, Australia and Germany.”

Michael said: ”Since 27 Aug 2019, Yangzi has proved too strong for all opponents on her way to winning all female titles at both of junior level and senior level in Australia. She crushed all oppositions including all ages and all genders in division competitions, winning 122 consecutive matches in Australia. These victories confirm Yangzi as the rising Australian super table tennis star.”

Vice President of TTNSW, Ted Davis said “TTNSW congratulates all our rising Australian table tennis stars including Yangzi Liu (NSW), Nicholas Lum (VIC), Finn Luu (VIC) and Min Hyung Jee (QLD). TTNSW congratulates TTA on these great achievements at the World Table Tennis stage in Europe where our players claimed 5 Gold Medals, 1 Silver Medal and 3 Bronze Medals. This was due to the excellent leadership and the strong team work of Scott Houston, John Murphy, Eva Jeler and Simon Gerada.”

“TTNSW wishes all TTA National Squad members good luck in their future efforts. TTNSW will continue to work hard and work closely with TTA to motivate and promote more junior players to join Yangzi Liu, Nicholas Lum, Finn Luu and Min Hyung Jee, and win more medals for Australia in the international events. We made history, and we will continue to make more history.”

David Lee and Michael Li wish to gratefully acknowledge Yangzi Liu, Table Tennis NSW, Table Tennis Australia, ITTF and World Table Tennis.