YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    TABLE TENNIS INTERLUDE

    By The Associated Press | Associated Press – Mon, Jul 30, 2012

    I'm getting so much cooperation from Ding Ning, one of the next generation of great Chinese female table-tennis players. She's outgoing, wants to talk with reporters — and even listens to journalists trying questions in Mandarin. New breed, really.

    Quick history:

    Zhang Yining won four gold medals in the last two Olympics. Wang Nan won four in three Olympics — 2000, 2004, 2008. And Deng Yaping started the string with four in 1992 and 1996. Now comes 22-year-old Ding.

    "I'm not so sure I can be like the others, but I'm trying," she said Monday after reaching the quarterfinals. "I know Zhang Yining very well. I train with her and I have learned so many things from her. ... Of course I really want to win the gold medal. But even if I don't win the medal, I have a long career in front of me and will have more chances."

    And a confession: "If I get silver, I will feel a little bit disappointed."

    — Stephen Wade — Twitter http://twitter.com/StephenWadeAP

    ___

    EDITOR'S NOTE — "Eyes on London" shows you the Olympics through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across the 2012 Olympic city and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item, and get even more AP updates from the games here: http://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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