The Chinese men's table tennis team played a warm-up match in the Fulong Table Tennis Training Center on July 10th. The match gave fans an opportunity to see them live and was a test following their 50-day closed training session in Xiamen that began from May 25th.
This warm-up match was sponsored by the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Sports and Huli Municipal Government and was organised by Xiamen Fulong Real Estate Co., Ltd, etc..
The game was the played as the best of five sets, during which Group A, consisting of Ma Long, Zhang Jike, Xu Xin and Fan Zhendong played against Group B that brough together Cui Qinglei, Wang Chuqin and Fang Bo. Zhang Jike beat Wang Chuqin in the opening match, while Ma Long beat Cui Qinglei 3-1 during Match Two. Zhang Jike and Xu Xin went on to win the doubles match against Wang Chuqin and Fang Bo. Fan Zhendong was then defeated 1-2 by Fang Bo, while Xu Xin overpowered Wang Chuqin 2-0.
As a thank you to the fans, the game was extended to the full five matches, as it should be ended when Group A beat Group B 3-0. In addition, players threw autographed table tennis balls to the audience during the breaks.
The players performed wonderfully in the match and will now head to Weihai for another warm-up game, before their departure for Brazil for the Olympic Games on July 21st, said Liu Guoliang, head coach of Chinese table tennis team.
China announced and implemented on May 15 a policy allowing visa-free entry of foreign tourist groups aboard cruise ships via all cruise ship ports along the country's coastline.
China and Georgia are set to waive visa requirements for travelers starting May 28.
