Li Sun replaces suspended Kong Linghui to coach Chinese women's table tennis team

DUSSELDORF, Germany, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Li Sun, former coach of 10-time world champion and four Olympic gold medals winner Zhang Yining, has replaced suspended Kong Linghui to take charge of Chinese women's national team at the ongoing World Table Tennis Championships.

Liu Guoliang, head coach of the Chinese national team, made the announcement here on Tuesday as Kong, with whom he won the men's doubles gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, had been ordered to return home from the World Championships.

Kong was suspended as head coach of the Chinese women's team following a lawsuit over a gambling debt filed by a Singaporean hotel.

The Singaporean hotel where Kong and his family and friends had stayed in 2015 filed a lawsuit against Kong in a Hong Kong court. Media reports said Kong borrowed S$1 million (721,200 US dollars) from the hotel, but failed to pay back the debt in full.

"Having raised three grand slam champions, Li Sun is a very experienced and successful coach. He has been with the women's team for several years. He is very familiar with our players and our opponents. At the same time, I will shift my working priority to women's team as well," Liu said.

"The team will not be too much affected; we are still in our own rhythm for preparation. We will focus on the match. I trust our strength, not only the players' strength but also the coaching strength," Liu added.

The 54-year-old Li, who became a coach in the Chinese national team in 1996, has been the coach of three of world's best women's players, including Zhang, Wang Nan, the women's single champion at the Sydney Olympics, and Li Xiaoxia, the London Olympics singles gold winner.