DUSSELDORF, Germany, June 4 (Xinhua) -- World No. 1 Ding Ning beat fellow Chinese and third seed Zhu Yuling 4-2 to win her third women's singles title at the World Table Tennis Championships here on Sunday.
Ding, also the Olympic champion in Rio, won the first game 11-4 but Zhu, playing her first final in the world championships, pulled two back 11-9, 11-4 for a 2-1 lead.
The two players then displayed a beautiful attacking game. Ding, who won the world title in 2011 and 2015, saved a game point from 9-10, winning three points in a row to make it 2-2.
Zhu, whose only winning record against Ding came in the 2015 China Open final, made too many errors while the 27-year-old Ding played steadily and accurately, leading all the way to win 11-6. She went on to take the next game 11-7 to seal the title.
"It is very special to win the world title for a third time," she said. "It is a teamwork of the Chinese national team."
Ding will also play the doubles semifinal with teammate Liu Shiwen.
"I hope to play well in the women's doubles tomorrow, and then I will relax and enjoy the break," she said when asked about her future.
Ding became the third Chinese woman player to win a hat trick of world singles title following Deng Yaping and Wang Nan.