PARIS — North Korea saw off a spirited comeback by South Korea to claim the mixed doubles title in a politically-charged final at the World Table Tennis Championships in Paris Saturday. But despite the ongoing tensions between the two nations, the neighboring countries came together in perfect harmony in the French capital as Kim Hyok Bong and Kim Jong fended off a dogged recovery by Lee Sang-su and Park Young-sook to prevail 11-6, 11-8, 11-3, 6-11, 8-11, 11-7. For North Korea it was a first world title since Pak Yung-sun won the second of two successive singles crowns in 1977. In two weeks' time the ITTF will discover whether the International Olympic Committee has decided to approve their proposal to add a mixed doubles event to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games program. All-Chinese women's semis Defending champion and top seed Ding Ning moved into the semifinals of the World Table Tennis Championships in Paris Saturday after dispatching North Korea's Ri Myong Sun. Sun, ranked 44th in the world, had dropped just one game through the first four rounds, a run that included a stunning whitewash of Japanese seventh seed Kasumi Ishikawa, but she was unable to slow down Ding as the Chinese star prevailed 11-6, 9-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-6. World No. 1 Ding next faces compatriot and third seed Li Xiaoxia Saturday for a place in the final in a repeat of the Olympic title match after Li dismissed another Chinese Wu Yang 14-12, 11-4, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7 at the Bercy Arena. Second-ranked Liu Shiwen shook off a slow start against Turkey's Melek Hu to reach the last four — equaling her performances in 2009 and 2011 — following a 7-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-9, 11-5 victory, while Zhu Yuling ruthlessly dismantled Olympic bronze medalist Feng Tianwei of Singapore 11-7, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 to leave China assured of gold in the women's singles. On Friday, reigning champion Zhang Jike of China eased through to the last 16 after seeing off compatriot Fan Zhendong. The fourth seed and Olympic title-holder cruised to an 11-9, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5 victory over world No. 38 Fan to set up a fourth-round meeting with Robert Gardos of Austria. — Agencies
