Zhang Yining's rival withdraws from TT worlds

Tan Wen Ling of Italy, who is to face world top-ranked Chinese Zhang Yining in the third round Thursday night, has pulled out of the world table tennis championships.

The Italian team cited Tan's shoulder injury but an Italian reporter disclosed that Tan was forced to quit following an ugly infighting.

Gennaro Bozza, a veteran reporter with the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, said Tan and her teammate Laura Negrisoli had enraged the Italian team by asking for fair treatment.

Bozza said Tan's doubles partner Nikoteta Stefanova was an apple of the eye for the team because she was the key player of a club owned by an Italian table tennis chief.

"Three Italian coaches refused to coach Tan and just sat on the tribune as Tan won the women's second round on Wednesday," said Bozza.

"Tan was told in a technical meeting Wednesday night that the Italian team didn't need her and demanded her to leave for Italy immediately.

Tan, the top ranked Italian player, had led Italy to the women's team title in the 2003 European championships.

Tan, a friend of Bozza, had left for Italy Thursday morning.