Odd couples make for exciting spectacle

Mixed teams spark more life into the Suzhou world championships

Normally, an early-round men's doubles table tennis match scheduled late in the evening at the worlds would draw little fan or media interest.

However, that was not the cased on Tuesday night as the fans chanted and photographers clicked away like it was an Olympic final. The high-profile matchup featured China's Ma Long and German paddler Timo Boll against the Chinese tandem of Zhang Jike and Xu Xin in a format which has won over a global audience.