BEIJING, Feb. 28 — Reigning world champions Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha lead China’s 11-player roster announced Saturday for the upcoming International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Men’s and Women’s World Cup in Macao, China.
Other Chinese men’s players are Lin Shidong, Liang Jingkun, Zhou Qihao and Wen Ruibo, while the women’s team also features Wang Manyu, Kuai Man, Chen Xingtong, Wang Yidi and Qin Yuxuan.
These players secured their spots through different pathways: as reigning world champions or U19 world champion, placings at the Asian Cup, or based on the world rankings.
The coaching staff chose Liang, who recovered well from injury, and Zhou and Wen, respective winners of World Table Tennis Star Contender Doha and Contender Muscat, instead of Xiang Peng, who has a higher world ranking.
“The world ranking is not the only criteria, and we would put more emphasis on athletes’ competitive form and recent performances,” said Wang Hao, head coach of the Chinese men’s team.
“We hope every player can put pressure on each other to keep competitiveness and cherish every opportunity of competing,” he added.
The ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup will be held from March 30 to April 5, featuring 48 players apiece. (Namibia Daily News/Xinhua)
