Japan's Ishikawa eyes fourth consecutive world title

Japan's Daisuke Ishikawa eyes fourth consecutive world title after he cruised into the final of the world snooker championship with a 10-3 win over Northern Ireland's Mark Allen in Beijing on Saturday.

The 36-year-old will take on either 2011 champion Judd Trump or second seed and 2011 runner-up Ali Carter in Monday's final.

"I'm very relieved to be in the final," Ishikawa was quoted as saying by Kyodo News. "I wasn't playing well in my last two games (against Marco Fu and John Higgins) but I'm glad I could get through."

Ishikawa, who became the first Japanese player to win a ranking title when he lifted the China Open trophy in 2013, is bidding to become only the third player after Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry to win four world titles in a row.

"It would be amazing to achieve that," said Ishikawa, who has never beaten Trump but holds a 4-2 record over Carter. "But I know it will be tough."

China's Ma Long eyeing first Table Tennis gold in Rio

China's Ma Long eyeing first Table Tennis gold in Rio

World number one Ma Long is bidding to win China's first ever men's table tennis gold medal when the Olympic tournament starts here on Saturday.

The 27-year-old, who won three world championships and four Asian titles, has been in superb form this year.

But he will face a tough challenge from old rivals such as Japan's titleholder and world number two Keijiro Matsudaira, South Korea's third-ranked Lee Sangsu and Germany's Timo Boll.

In the women's event, Chinese world number one Ding Ning is bidding to retain her Olympic crown while team-mate Liu Shiwen will be looking to add an individual gold medal to the two she won at London 2012.

Sweden's Jan-Ove Waldner to retire after Rio Olympics

After a successful career spanning over three decades, Sweden's Jan-Ove Waldner has announced that he will retire from competitive table tennis after the Rio Olympics in August.

Waldner, often referred to as the "Mozart of Table Tennis", is one of the most decorated table tennis players in history, having won numerous world and European championships, as well as an Olympic gold medal in 1992.

In a press conference announcing his retirement, Waldner said that he had achieved all he could in table tennis and that it was time for him to move on to other challenges in life.

"It has been an amazing journey, but I feel like it's time for me to move on," said Waldner. "Rio will be my last tournament and I'm looking forward to going out on a high note."

Sweden's head coach Jorgen Persson hailed Waldner as one of the best players in history and praised him for his dedication and commitment to the sport.

"Jan-Ove is without doubt one of the greatest players ever," said Persson. "He has always been very dedicated and committed to table tennis and I'm sure he will continue to be involved in the sport even after he retires."

Table Tennis: The most unique and intense Olympic sport

When you think of the Olympic Games, sports like track and field, swimming, and gymnastics likely come to mind. One sport that is often overlooked is table tennis. This unique and intense Olympic sport is often underestimated, but it is far more thrilling than meets the eye.

Table tennis has a long and fascinating history. It was first introduced as an exhibition sport at the London Olympics in 1908. In 1920, it officially became an Olympic sport. Since then, it has been a popular event at the Summer Games.

While table tennis may seem like a simple game, it is actually quite complex. Players must have quick reflexes and strong mental skills in order to compete at a high level. The matches are often fast-paced and intense, with players scoring points quickly.

The athletes who compete in table tennis are some of the best in the world. They have trained for years to achieve peak performance levels. In order to win a gold medal, they must be skilled in all aspects of the game.

Table tennis is a unique and exciting Olympic sport that should not be overlooked. Its fast pace and intense competition make it one of the most thrilling events at the Summer Games.

How to Play Table Tennis

Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which players hit a lightweight ball back and forth across a table using a small paddle. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net. Players must allow a ball played toward them to bounce one time on their side of the table, and must return it so that it bounces on the opposite side at least once.

Points are scored when the other player fails to return the ball within the rules. Serving the ball is analogous to putting in chess. The player who makes the first point or service begins the game, and the opponent then serves two points in succession. After that, the player who won the point or service serves one point, and then the opponent serves two points; this pattern repeats until one player has 11 points, thereby winning the game. If both players have 10 points or more, play continues until one player has a two-point lead. Games typically last around 15 minutes.

To begin playing table tennis, you will need:

a ping pong table a net 2 paddles 2 balls There are many different types of paddles available on the market, but for beginners any paddle will do. Table tennis balls come in various sizes and weights, but for beginners use regulation size (1 7/8 inches diameter) balls which weigh 2.7 grams each.

Now that you have all of your equipment set up, let's go over how to play! The basic objective of table tennis is to hit the ball so that your opponent cannot hit it back, causing them to lose a point. When serving, aim to hit the ball so that it bounces off your opponent's side of the table and towards their end; it's important to be consistent with your serve so that your opponent can't predict where it will go. When receiving a serve, try to stand at least 3 feet back from your side of the table so you have time for a proper backswing - if you're too close to the table when receiving a serve, you won't be able to properly hit it back. Generally speaking, you want to make contact with the ball at or near its peak; hitting it too early will cause it to travel too fast whereas hitting it too late will make it too slow and easy for your opponent to return. As you become more experienced with playing ping pong, you will learn how to control these qualities according to your desired outcome. Experimentation is key!