BOROS took second place in Chicago at the US Open

US Open
Singapore’s LI Jia Wei won her first ever Women’s Singles title on the ITTF Pro Tour when she beat Tamara BOROS of Croatia in the final in Chicago on Saturday 3 July 2004; her previous best being in Wels, Austria when on Sunday 27 January 2002 when she had finished runner up to the Chinese penholder, LI Nan.

The final was a match between the topspin player with the gravity defying high toss serve, Tamara BOROS, and the close to the table attacker who serves continually with the backhand, LI Jia Wei, a player renowned for her fast backhand topspin before the ball has reached the peak of the bounce.
LI Jia Wei, won her first Women's Singles title on the ITTF Pro Tour in Chicago
The girl from Singapore started in the fast lane, she won the first three games 11-6, 11-6, 11-4 and in the fourth went 4-1 ahead but then something happened. `I wanted to win and became timid, I played too softly,’ said LI Jia Wei after the match; from that stage what appeared to be one way traffic became a duel.

BOROS won the next nine points to lead 10-4, eventually winning 11-8. In the fifth she led throughout, winning again 11-8 and in the sixth BOROS made a splendid start, she went ahead 4-1 but then lost five points in a row! It seemed the tide had turned back in favour of LI Jia Wei, who serving, went ahead 7-5; the next seven points were all won by the server and at 10-9 LI Jia Wei had her first match point. She served, played a backhand topspin, BOROS returned with a brave forehand topspin, won the point and then the next two, to level proceedings.

Throughout the seventh game BOROS was the aggressor but she had to plan the strategy herself, at 2-2 in the sixth game her coach, Neven CEGNAR, having been warned earlier was red carded and had to leave his courtside seat. However, BOROS made errors; the watershed came at 5-4 with LI Jia Wei leading. The Singapore girl played a weak topspin but BOROS missed the opportunity, her attacking stroke missing the end of the table; the very next point exactly the same thing happened but with one difference, the BOROS smash didn’t miss. However, it seemed the earlier error had affected her confidence; she lost the next five points to trail 5-10. A desperate situation but BOROS kept fighting, she served and followed with a searing backhand topspin to save match point; then she won the next point, possibly the best of the match, hitting winner after winner before finally actually winning the point!

However, it was to be the last point she would win, LI Jia Wei composed herself won the next point and the ITTF Pro Tour Killerspin US Open Women's Singles title, 11-6, 11-6, 11-4, 8-11, 8-11, 11-13, 11-7.

`Relax, don't worry about the score, stay aggressive’, was LI Jia Wei’s relieved comment after the match and the key to her victory. `I played the wrong tactics. I was too far from the table and couldn't play strong backhands,’ added BOROS. `I need to stay closer to the table against her.’

BOROS further explained that she had experienced trouble concentrating the first three games and was obviously bothered by the backhand she'd missed at 5-4 in the seventh and on how it had affected her concentration; on such crucial points are championships won and lost.

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