Other Events | 27 Apr 2014

2014 WTC, the final countdown for 209 teams

The ZEN-NOH 2014 World Team Table Tennis Championships starts tomorrow in Tokyo. It is the seventh time that Japan will host world elite at this ever increasing event. Before Tokyo 2014 we had Championships in the same city in 1956 and in 1983. Nagoya was

The ZEN-NOH 2014 World Team Table Tennis Championships starts tomorrow in Tokyo. It is the seventh time that Japan will host world elite at this ever increasing event. Before Tokyo 2014 we had Championships in the same city in 1956 and in 1983. Nagoya was the host in 1971, Chiba in 1991, Osaka in 2001 and Yokohama in 2009.

The total of teams is record breaking 209, comparing to Dortmund 2012 – 3 more, whilst in Moscow 2010, 188 teams participated. Last time in Japan, in Osaka there were 147 teams. In men’s event there are 114 players on the list three less than in Germany two years ago, but there are 6 women more comparing last Championships – 95.

Top seeds is China in both events. Not that they have no. one player on the ITTF rankings, but they came with World’s and Olympic champions. XU Xin lead the men’s team, whilst ZHANG Jike is Current World and Olympic champion. No. 2 MA Long, no. 3 FAN Zhendong are also at the list.

Germany holds the European hopes alive. They are seeded at position no. 2. European champion, and bronze medalist from both singles and team’s event at the London Olympic Games, Dimitrij OVTCHAROV is the best ranked European player at the position no. 4 in the World. Timo BOLL will also play. In the team are Patrick BAUM, Stefen MENGEL and young 21 years old Patrick FRANZISKA. Germany is also hungry for gold. They played 44 times from 1926, but never reached the title.

Japan, Korea, Taipei, is three more teams above Portugal. In Bremen 2006, Portugal concluded matters in 31st place and from that point the only way is up for them. In Guangzhou they climbed four places, in 2010 at the LIEBHERR World Team Championships in Moscow Portugal finished in 14th place and then most recently, two years ago, it was a conclusion amongst the very elite; they concluded matters in 11th position. Now in Tokyo at the ZEN-NOH World Team Championships, Portugal is major medal contender in the Men’s Championship Division. They are the sixth seeds.

In Group A are: China, Austria, Russia, Brazil, Poland and Serbia.
In Group B: Germany, Hong Kong, Croatia, Singapore, Denmark and Ukraine.
In Group C: Japan, Portugal, France, Greece, Romania and Hungary.
In Group D: Korea Republic, Chinese Taipei, Sweden, Belarus, Spain and Korea DPR.

LIU Shiwen World’s best ranked player is the leader of the women’s team. LI XIaoxia, current World and Olympic Champion is also in the team with DING Ning, CHEN Meng and ZHU Yuling.

Germany is listed at position no. 6 below China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore. For the best European team will play WU JIaduo, Petrissa SOLJA, Irene IVANCAN, Kristin SILBEREISEN and Sabine WINTER.

In Group A are: China, Korea DPR, Romania, Poland, Slovak Republic and Austria.
In Group B: Japan, Chinese Taipei, Hungary, Belarus, USA and Australia.
In Group C: Korea Republic, Singapore, Russia, Netherlands, France and Luxemburg.
In Group D: Hong Kong, Germany, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Serbia and Croatia.