(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-02-27 11:33

GUANGZHOU, China - Swedish veteran Jorgen Persson said China was virtually impossible to beat at the World Team Table Tennis Championships as the Red Army notched up its third straight win yesterday.

China's Wang Nan returns against the US' Gao Jun during the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Guangzhou yesterday. China beat the US 3-0. [Agencies]

Persson said main challengers South Korea and Germany were depleted teams after the withdrawal of key players with injury before the tournament.

And China was always difficult to stop on home soil, the Swede added.

"I don't think so, especially at home," the former world champion said when asked if the Chinese juggernaut could be halted.

"Normally South Korea have a chance but their number two player is not here, so they are a little weak," the 41-year-old told AFP.

"Germany also could normally have a chance to beat them but they are without Timo Boll here, so China will win for sure."

South Korea says it is confident of success here despite being without their number two, Oh Sang Eun, who has a shoulder injury. German star Boll announced before the championships that he was resting an inflamed knee.

Sweden, led by legend Jan-Ove Waldner and Persson, battled China for dominance over a decade from the late 1980s to the 1990s, and China's paddlers recently rated Waldner, now retired, their most fearsome competitor.

But the Europeans, fielding some younger and less experienced paddlers here, have suffered three straight defeats in their group.

"The younger players are getting better and better but they need to play big matches and also to win to gain more confidence," Persson said.

China, undefeated in this competition since 2000, boast the world's top four players on its team and is expected to dominate at the Olympics this year.

Veterans sweat

But China has not yet decided if its two veteran paddlers, champions Wang Nan and Wang Liqin, will have the chance to qualify for the Beijing Olympics later this year.

Head men's coach Liu Guoliang said a decision would be made after the World Team Table Tennis Championship

A list of paddlers who will compete at the Asian Olympic qualifiers next month in Hong Kong has not yet been finalized, Liu said.

"The list will be released once it is decided," he told the Chinese press.

The comments pile pressure on the veterans, the oldest members of their teams at age 29, who are aware of the need to impress to help cement a coveted third spot on their teams.

Both lost their opening matches on Monday, although reigning world champion Wang Liqin overcame the upset to win his second match of the night.

Wang Nan, with 20 world titles under her belt, had admitted her performance was poor, but she bounced back to easily win Tuesday's game.

China is permitted two paddlers each for the men's and women's competition, with coaches then choosing players to compete for the third spots in Hong Kong.

On the women's side, world No 1 and 2, Zhang Yinin and Li Xiaoxia, are already guaranteed places. World No 1 and 2, Wang Hao and Ma Lin, have cemented their spots on the men's team.