The Chinese table tennis Olympic simulation in Xinxiang, China has seen its share of drama this week. In keeping with this trend, the preparations for the Olympic debut of mixed doubles provided plenty of plot twists. First, defending mixed doubles world champions Liu Shiwen and Xu Xin were upset in the quarterfinals by Chen Xingtong and Zhou Yu. Then, second-seeded team Sun Yingsha and Liang Jingkun fell to Liu Fei and Ma Te, defensive specialists in an era of offensive supremacy. When both surprise finalists met, it was women's world #13 Chen Xingtong and men's world #157 Zhou Yu (pictured, the red team) who held the superior rankings over women's world #68 Liu Fei and men's world #167 Ma Te (in blue). Once again defying the prescribed order, it was the choppers Liu and Ma who ultimately prevailed, (11-7, 4-11, 12-10, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7). After building a 7-1 lead in the sixth game, the choppers Liu and Ma saw their lead start to slip away. Rather than buckle under the pressure, they knuckled down and produced the necessary points. "We won because we were stern-minded, especially when the opponents were poised to come back in the middle of the decisive sixth set," said Liu Fei. "It's the third year that Ma and I partner each other, and I think we are playing better table tennis together in mixed doubles." Disappointed finalist Zhou Yu admitted he and Chen were tactically outmatched. "The chopping duo's spin is too tricky to receive and I don't think I can predict it even after having played a six-set match against them," confessed Zhou. "It's not a surprise to feel uncomfortable playing against a pair of choppers." Although it is all for practice, any table tennis competition in China is serious. This week, it was the stubbornly anachronistic defenders Liu Fei and Ma Te who seriously impressed.

More at Xinhua