Chinese table tennis player Ma Long beat France’s Simon Gauzy to grab the bronze medal in the ITTF Men's World Cup in Liege, Belgium on Sunday, after losing to German veteran Timo Boll in the semi-final.
Ma Long of China serves during the singles semifinal match against Timo Boll of Germany at the 2017 ITTF Men's World Cup in Liege, Belgium, Oct. 22, 2017. Timo Boll won 4-3. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)
Boll beat Ma 4-3 and will face fellow German Dimitrij Ovtcharov to compete for the championship.
After the victory, 36-year-old Boll said he could not believe he had made into the finals, calling it a “crazy game” with Ma.
Boll defeated China's Lin Gaoyuan, 22, en route to the match with Ma after the Asian Cup champion dropped a 3-1 lead and six match points.
The German veteran is now poised to capture his third ITTF Men's World Cup championship in his career.
It marks the first time in the history of the ITTF Men's World Cup that two German players will meet in the final.
Photo via ITTF World Cup
China's Ma Long competes in the ITTF Men's World Cup against Timo Boll. /Photo via ITTF World Cup