BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- China's Chen Qing and Li Xiaoxia won the women's doubles title at the Croatian Open in Zagreb, the sport's world governing body ITTF said on its website on Sunday.

The Chinese duo beat Oksana Fadeeva of Russia and Veronika Pavlovich of Belarus in the close final Saturday evening at full seven games 11-5, 6-11, 13-11, 11-13, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6.

Chen Qing and Li Xiaoxia reaped success at their first attempt as it was the first ever title on the ITTF Pro Tour for Chen Qing who paired with Wang Nan, but lost the semifinal to Chinese Hong Kong Tie Yana and Zhang Rui at the Asian Games in Doha in early December 2006.

In Zagreb it was a different story, with Li Xiaoxia, Chen Qing was the champion and it was a belated birthday present. She celebrated her 23rd birthday on 15th January 2007.

Chen Qing, who plays for the Jiangsu Wuxi Club in the Chinese Super League, made the final at the 2006 Slovenian Open but lost to colleague Guo Yue.

And for Li Xiaoxia, it was her fourth ITTF Pro Tour title.

In 2004, she won the women's doubles title at the China Open, in 2005 she was crowned women's singles champion at the Volkswagen Open China and in 2006 she clinched the women's doubles title at the Liebherr Slovenian Open.

Undoubtedly for Fadeeva and Pavlovich, it was intense disappointment to come so close to gold.

Nevertheless, they can take heart from their efforts and they are establishing themselves as a formidable partnership.

In 2006 they were quarter-finalists in the women's doubles event at both the Liebherr Qatar and Eurosib Russian Opens; in Zagreb, in an event which saw the best in the world on duty, they went two steps higher.

It is noticeable progress, a most worthy achievement.

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