Ai Fukuhara of Japan competes at the women's team bronze play-off round 2 during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games table tennis event in Beijing, China, Aug. 16, 2008. Japanese team beat the team of China's Hong Kong 3-2 and was qualified for the bronze medal match.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Ai Fukuhara of Japan competes at the women's team bronze play-off round 2 during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games table tennis event in Beijing, China, Aug. 16, 2008. Japanese team beat the team of China's Hong Kong 3-2 and was qualified for the bronze medal match. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Japan kept its hope alive for a bronze in the Olympic women's team table tennis tournament here Saturday, after downing higher-ranked Hong Kong of China 3-2 in a bronze playoff that lasted three hours.

    In Sunday's bronze medal contest, Japan will seek revenge against South Korea, whose medal pursuit also showed no signs of slowing with a 3-0 win over the United States earlier in the day. South Korea beat Japan 3-0 in the group stage.

    Popular star Ai Fukuhara, ranked 12th in the world, was the biggest contributor to Japan's success over Hong Kong as she rallied two games down twice to win in singles and doubles matches.

    The three Japanese hugged together, all bursting into tears, the moment they won.

    "I cried because I never thought we would beat Hong Kong. I was so excited," Fukuhara said, grinning from ear to ear. "Our goal is to get a medal and we will keep on fighting tomorrow."

    "Though 2-0 behind twice, I felt more relaxed at the start of the third games," she said. "It was not easy to qualify for the Olympics, so we must play cheerfully."

    Tie Yana of Hong Kong got off to a flying start on Saturday, beating Haruna Fukuoka 11-2, 12-10, 12-10, while Lin Ling blew a 2-0 lead, losing to Fukuhara 9-11, 12-14, 11-5,11-8, 11-8.

    Despite another 2-0 lead in the doubles, Lin and Lau Sui Fei suffered defeat against a fired-up Japanese pair of Fukuhara and Sayaka Hirano 7-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8.

    The match was tied at 2-2 with Lau overpowering Hukuoka 11-8, 11-2, 7-11, 12-10, but Hirano earned a 12-10, 11-6, 11-8 victory against higher-ranked Tie, who lost her nerve at the last minute.

    Tie told reporters after the match that "I thought I had no advantage as soon as I found Hirano’s serves too difficult to deal with."

    "They have a unique style in serves, which were more powerful than expected," Tie's coach Li Huifen said in a hoarse voice and paused for a drink.

    "Tie played under huge pressure because everybody needed the elusive bronze medal badly," she said. "It was hard for us to ease the pressure when playing in Beijing where so many spectators tried to cheer us on."     

    FIGHT FOR COACH

    "It is for our coach that we want to win," said Fukuhara, confirming to Xinhua that the Japanese women's head coach Kinji Kondo, who had 12-year teaching experience in the national team, would likely retire after the Olympic Games at the age of 65.

    "If he is determined to leave, we have to let him go," Fukuhara said. "He once had a heart surgery and I'm afraid he can't endure watching us fight in such fierce matches."

    "Our coach is so kind that everything he does is for us. No matter what he thinks, he puts us in the first place."

    "I said to my girls that you should fight with smiles," Kondo told Xinhua. "I kept telling them that techniques are of course important for a match, but a good mental state and high morale are more important."

    Kondo nodded when asked if he planned to leave after the Games. "The only regret I have at the Beijing Olympics is that the Japanese women don't have an opportunity to challenge China."

    "South Korea has two choppers who are good at both attacking and defending. We will stay calm when we are in a life-and-death battle with them," he added.

    Japan has never won an Olympic table tennis medal since the sport was introduced at the 1988 Seoul Games. Fukuhara, the last 16 at the Athens Games, is expected to help the Asian power to end the medal drought.

    She has won nothing in world-level singles and doubles competitions, but a singles bronze in the 2005 World Cup. However, she helped Japan finish third three times at the biennial world team championships between 2004-2008.

    Fukuhara has claimed more than once that she will repay those who have trained and supported her with an excellent performance at her second Olympic Games in Beijing.