Local boy Wang Liqin dumped the tag of "big time choker" into garbage can as he rallied to beat Ma Lin and won his second world singles title on Friday.

The world top-ranked Shanghaiese gave a perfect ending to the world championships with a 4-2 (11-9, 3-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7) victory over three-time World Cup winner.

Wang, who lost close games in the 1997, 1999 and 2003 world championships mainly because of weak nerves, jumped to a 11-9 start but lost the following two sets 3-11, 8-11.

The turning point came at 9-8 in favor of Ma Lin in the fourth set as Shanghai spectators jeered and booed at Ma who was serving.

Ma's following block went directly into the net and Wang then made it 10-9 with a wide-angled drive. Another loop drive by Wang gave the Shanghaiese the fourth set 11-9.

The 2001 champion surged to 4-1 in the fifth set but Ma made it6-6 following a series of attacking mistakes by Wang. The top seed regained composure to pull away 9-6 but Ma fought back to 9-all.

Two spectacular long rallies won by Wang electrified the crowd and put the Shanghai boy three to two up.

Ma Lin, born in northeast China, tried to use drop shots to force errors from his rival. But a fired-up Wang played an even more aggressive game to wrap up the sixth and last set.

Denmark's Michael Maze and South Korea's Oh Sang Eun shared the third place.

"Wang Liqin is a mature player now," said Chinese table tennis chief Cai Zhenhua. "He didn't look upset at all with 1-2 down and instead he played a more tactical and offensive game to win three sets in a row."

Earlier Friday evening, Zhang Yining paired up with Wang Nan to win their second women's doubles trophy, Zhang's second in Shanghai.

Zhang, Olympic champion and world No. 1, saw off her Beijing club and national team mate Guo Yan in the women's singles final on Thursday, thus completing a "grand slam" of Olympic, world championships and World Cup singles titles.

Deng Yaping and Wang Nan are the other "grand slam" winners.

Friday's doubles gold was Wang Nan's fourth. The 2000 Olympic dual gold medalist had partnered with Li Ju to win the 1999 and 2001 doubles event.

Kong Linghui/Wang Hao had claimed the men's doubles at the cost of Germany's Timo Boll and Christian Suss and Wang Liqin/Guo Yue triumphed in the mixed doubles final on Wednesday.

Source: Xinhua