Former world and Olympic champion Deng Yaping.[File Photo]

Deng, who retired at the top at the age of 24, as a four-time Olympic gold medallist and 18-time world champion in 1997, said it would be extremely difficult for the mainland to grab all seven gold medals in Doha despite China's supremacy in the sport.

China won only three golds in Pusan four years ago, losing in men's and women's doubles to South Korea, the mixed doubles to Hong Kong, and the women's team final to North Korea.

But the mainland are considered the world's most powerful table tennis nation, having won all four Olympic golds in Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000. They fell one short of that total in Athens in 2004.

The mainlanders also cleaned up at last year's world championships in Shanghai, winning all five golds and more recently in April this year, they won the men's and women's events at the world team championships in Bremen, Germany.

"Other nations like South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong have improved in leaps and bounds and it would be too tough a task for China to win all seven gold medals," said 33-year-old Deng, who attended last night's SAR flag-raising ceremony for Doha at Hong Kong Stadium.

"I don't think the other nations have gone backwards and the Chinese team would have to be in tip-top condition again if they are to win gold medals. We are not taking the Asian Games as seriously as the Olympics in 2008. The Beijing Games will take priority over everything else.

"Doha will be a chance to give some of the younger members exposure and the team will fine-tune their skills for Beijing."

In Pusan four years ago, China were still the most dominant nation in singles, winning both men's and women's golds through Wang Liqin and Zhang Yining. They also won the men's team event.

"At the moment, it's very close at the top with the other Asian nations also likely to be a force to be reckoned with," she said.