Chinese table tennis player Ma Long beat France’s Simon Gauzy to grab the bronze medal in the ITTF Men's World Cup in Liege, Belgium on Sunday, after losing to German veteran Timo Boll in the semi-final.
Ma Long of China serves during the singles semifinal match against Timo Boll of Germany at the 2017 ITTF Men's World Cup in Liege, Belgium, Oct. 22, 2017. Timo Boll won 4-3. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)
Boll beat Ma 4-3 and will face fellow German Dimitrij Ovtcharov to compete for the championship.
After the victory, 36-year-old Boll said he could not believe he had made into the finals, calling it a “crazy game” with Ma.
Boll defeated China's Lin Gaoyuan, 22, en route to the match with Ma after the Asian Cup champion dropped a 3-1 lead and six match points.
The German veteran is now poised to capture his third ITTF Men's World Cup championship in his career.
It marks the first time in the history of the ITTF Men's World Cup that two German players will meet in the final.
Photo via ITTF World Cup
China's Ma Long competes in the ITTF Men's World Cup against Timo Boll. /Photo via ITTF World Cup
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Gabriel Martinelli scored a hat trick as Arsenal advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 4-1 win at Portsmouth on Sunday.
Martinelli's treble helped the Premier League leader come back from going a goal down to the second-tier Championship team inside three minutes.
Colby Bishop stunned Arsenal with the opening goal at Fratton Park, but the lead only lasted five minutes after Andre Dozzell scored an own goal.
Martinelli put the visitors ahead with a flicked header in the 25th. He slid in for his second six minutes after the break and headed in his hat-trick goal in the 72nd. It was the first time the Brazilian had scored a hat trick for Arsenal.
Victory could have been even more emphatic if Noni Madueke had converted from the penalty spot in the first half.
Record 14-time FA Cup winner Arsenal last lifted the trophy in Mikel Arteta’s first season as manager in 2020. It was the last major honor the London club won, but victory against Portsmouth maintains its three-pronged trophy pursuit along with the Premier League title and the Champions League.
Top flight Leeds was also behind to Championship opposition, but recovered from 1-0 down to beat Derby 3-1 at Pride Park.
Third-tier Mansfield pulled off an upset to beat Championship side Sheffield United 4-3 and Norwich routed Walsall 5-1, with Jovon Makama scoring a hat trick.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
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Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli scores during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Portsmouth and Arsenal in Portsmouth, England, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke celebrate after a goal during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Portsmouth and Arsenal in Portsmouth, England, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Leeds United's James Justin scores their side's third goal of the game during the Emirates FA Cup third round match between Derby County and Leeds United, in Derby, England, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (David Davies/PA via AP)
Leeds United's Ao Tanaka, right, celebrates with Wilfried Gnonto after scoring their side's second goal of the game during the Emirates FA Cup third round match between Derby County and Leeds United, in Derby, England, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (David Davies/PA via AP)
Arsenal players celebrate after a goal during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Portsmouth and Arsenal in Portsmouth, England, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
