Kelly Sibley English champion is the Ambassador for Pink Pong Controlling a table tennis ball on a table tennis racket for ten seconds without a mistake may not seem a formidable task but when you are aiming for 300 people or even 400 to perform the exercise at the same time without error; then the mission assumes different proportions. Currently the Guinness World Record stands at 250 people; the aim of England’s Steve Rowe is to organise a sufficient number of people to break that record; the planned date for Aerobic Table Tennis / Pink Pong Table Tennis Guinness World Record Attempt is Saturday 24th October the venue is Wigan Youth Zone situated in Greater Manchester. Pink Pong is organised by Liz May who works tirelessly to raise money for cancer research; they are partners with Aerobic Table Tennis the organisation masterminded by Steve Rowe. The two organisations have toured the United Kingdom in an attempt to raise money for Liz May’s project. Preparations are now in an advanced state the proposal being that the day will start at 10.00am being full of themed table tennis activities with funds raised going to Cancer Research UK Kids and Teens.“We will be having table tennis exhibition games and many fun table tennis games” said Steve ROWE. “Of course the main event is the world record attempt which is planned for a 2.00pm start.” Attending the event will be Kelly SIBLEY the reigning English champion who is an ambassador for Pink Pong. She will attend the event also alongside the Mayor of Wigan and Russia’s Maxim SHMYREV. Notably Maxim SHMYREV responded immediately to the request from Steve ROWE to support the event.Kindly the Wigan Youth Zone has offered their facilities for free the whole project being organised in conjunction with the Wigan Athletic Football Club Community Trust. “Table tennis has been part of our Premier League 4 Sport programme since it started in 2009 we have seen great results delivering table tennis to young people in Wigan with us working with more than 300 participants this year” said Tom FLOWER Head of Wigan Athletic Community Trust. “With this in mind using our profile to so support the table tennis world record attempt to raise money for Cancer Research Kids and Teens was something we jumped at.” Furthermore Dreamscope Television will film the whole event. Guinness will study the video to make sure the necessary conditions have been met. “The actual activity is not that difficult what is difficult is having more than 250 people in the same room at the same time taking part in the attempt” said Steve ROWE. “We are hoping to have between 300 and 400 people so we can smash the record.” Notably the activity was chosen so that even beginner players can take part. “We would like to invite players from around the world to join us at this fantastic event” added Steve ROWE. “Everyone that takes part in the attempt will have the chance to become a Guinness world record holder.” Now that is something that does not happen every day. “I would personally like to thank Darren HUTCHINSON from Dreamscope and Table Tennis England who are helping us promote the event; we are hoping to have a Table Tennis England representative attend on the day” concluded Steve ROWE.  

2015 World Champion MA Long has taken one more step closer to creating history by winning his 20th ITTF World Tour title today at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour China Open MA edged closer to the legendary Vladimir SAMSONOV’s record of 26 ITTF World Tour titles with an impressive victory over world number two XU Xin in Dujiangyan Chengdu.  The world number one who had to come from behind in the semifinal to beat lowly ranked Yuya OSHIMA from Japan was simply too powerful for his team mate XU in the final prevailing 13-15 11-4 11-7 12-10 11-9.  After the match the 26 year old stated: “This is the sixth time I have won the China Open so it is very special to me. It also takes me one step closer to SAMSOMSOV’s ITTF World Tour record. XU is always a very tough opponent. I knew I had to be in my best form to defeat him and thankfully today I was in front this awesome crowd here.”  ZHU Yuling who is from the Sichuan province used her home ground advantage perfectly as she blew the current World Champion DING Ning off the court in a ruthless display in front of the capacity crowd.  The 20 year old won her second ITTF World Tour title surprisingly easy 11-9 11-4 13-11 11-8 to claim gold at the final ITTF World Tour Super Series event of the year.  “I really felt the support today from my local crowd” stated the world number three ” and I know DING Ning is an amazing player so I needed to be at the top of my game. It was a surprise that I played so well and won 4-0. This was because I put all my heart and soul into match. I am so happy to be the champion!”  It was defeat for XU Xin in the men’s singles but a win in the men’s doubles as he teamed up with FAN Zhendong to defeat FANG Bo & ZHU Linfeng (CHN) 10-12 11-6 7-11 8-11 9-11 in the final.  LIU Shiwen made up for her disappointing semifinal loss against ZHU Yuling by teaming up with CHEN Meng to claim the women’s doubles title. The Chinese duo defeated their teammates GU Yuting & MU Zi 11-3 11-9 11-8 to ensure that they both don’t go home empty handed.  In the under 21 singles Hitomi SATO from Japan won an extraordinary fifth women’s title in 2015 and seventh overall to confirm herself as the dominant under 21 player on the planet.  The men’s under 21 title went to the 2013 Junior World Champion JANG Woojin from Korea who is quickly establishing himself as a future star of the sport.  The world’s best players now head to Bulgaria for the GAC Group 2015 World Tour Bulgaria Open which starts on 19 August 2015 in Panagyurishte.

FAN Zhendong accounted for Germany’s Timo BOLL in five games There will be no Europeans in game tomorrow at the last day of the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour China Open in Chengdu. At the semi-final stage of the Men’s Singles Event China’s MA Long will play against Yuya OSHIMA of Japan FAN Zhendong opposes XU Xin in all-Chinese duel.   FAN Zhendong the no.3 seed accounted for Germany’s Timo BOLL in five games (11-8 8-11 11-8 11-6 11-4). XU Xin the no.2 seed ended the hopes of Portugal’s Marcos FREITAS the no.9 seed (9-11 12-10 11-7 13-11 12-10).   “It’s my second time to play against Timo Boll I feel more confident now” said Fan Zhendong who had beaten Timo BOLL in six games in their Men’s Singles encounter at the Qoros 2015 World Championships.“I made little mistakes in the second game. I am glad that I could show a good performance here in front of all these Chinese fans; my thanks to coach Liu Guoliang.”   Required to compete in the preliminary rounds surprise wins one day earlier over Germany’s Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and compatriot Koki NIWA; Japan’s Yuya OSHIMA continued his quite staggering run. Against the odds he beat Chinese Taipei’s CHUANG Chih-Yuan the no.12 seed.   In the semi-final stage of the Women’s Singles Event China’s DING Ning will play against Japan’s Kasumi ISHIKAWA ZHU Yuling will face LIU Shiwen in another all Chinese semi final.   Also in doubles gold and silver is destined for China; that is the outcome following the quarter-final and semi-final clashes in the Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles events.

The TTCL champions play together in China Frenchmen Benjamin BROSSIER and Antoine HACHARD emerged successfully in the qualification stage of the Men’s Doubles event at the GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour China Open in Chengdu. French pairings overcame the Austrian partnership of CHEN Weixing and Robert GARDOS (11-4 11-9 9-11 11-2).The combination of Portugal’s Marcos FREITAS and Sweden’s Jens LUNDQVIST accounted for Chinese Taipei’s CHUANG Chih-Yuan and SUN Chia-Hung to maintain their progress (10-12 11-7 11-8 12-10). However the partnership to attract the attention was that of Germany’s Dimitrij OVTCHAROV in liaison with Vladimir SAMSONOV of Belarus; they accounted Chinese Taipei’s HUANG Chien-Tu and YANG Tzu-Yi (11-9 11-8 11-9) to continue their progress to the main draw. “We play together sometimes in our club in Russia and we have played together at the European Championships before” said Dimitrij OVTCHAROV; both play for the Russian club Fakel Gazproma Orenburg the winners of this year’s European Champions League.“Vladi is an excellent doubles player so it is a pleasure to play with him; it is good to start with a victory in this event it gives me confidence” added Dimitrij OVTCHAROV. “Also it is good to have Jörgen coaching; helped us a lot.”In the Men’s Singles qualifications currently named at no.142 on the Men’s World Rankings Antoine HACHARD accounted for Korea’s JANG Woojin listed at no.79 (6-11 11-2 12-10 11-9 11-8). Required to play in the qualification stage of proceedings Britt EERLAND of the Netherlands caused the major upsets in the first round of the Under 21 Women’s Singles events. EERLAND defeated Singapore’s Li Ye the no.3 seed recovering from a two games to nil deficit to record a quite stunning full distance five games success by the very minimal margin (10-12 5-11 11-9 11-8 12-10)

The world’s best are in Chengdu for the final Super Series of the year A repeat of the epic 2014 Men’s World Cup Final clash between MA Long and ZHANG Jike will not be possible at the GAC Group 2015 World Tour China Open as they have been drawn in the same half. Despite this fans in Chengdu China will be treated to one of the strongest World Tour tournaments in recent history with nine out of the top ten men and eight out of the top ten women all competing in the sixth and final Super Series event of the year.Qualifications for the main draw starts today 5 August 2015 with players battling to join the world’s best players in the main draw which starts Friday 7 August with the medals being handed out on Sunday 9 August! If current World Champion MA Long is to win a record fourth China Open title in a row and sixth overall he will have to overcome players he has had tough battles with in the past. The world number one is due to play FANG Bo whom he defeated earlier in the year in the World Championships final and face his archrival ZHANG Jike in the semi final.“I always enjoy playing in front of my home fans.” stated MA.”It would mean a lot to me to win my sixth China Open title. It won’t be easy as the world’s best players are here but I will try my best to be the champion!” It won’t be just these players threatening MA Long’s quest for a 20th World Tour title. Top stars such as XU Xin FAN Zhendong Dimitrij OVTCHAROV Timo BOLL and Marcos FREITAS will also have their eye on securing the prestigious China Open title.Anticipation is high for the women’s event as well as a rematch of one of the most dramatic World Championships finals in history between DING Ning and LIU Shiwen is on the cards on Sunday. After the draw the world number one stated: “I know everyone is looking forward to watching me play LIU Shiwen again. However this competition is very strong with many top players so I will have to play well just to get to the final as will LIU.” As stated by DING the field here in Chengdu is very strong with ZHU Yuling CHEN Meng FENG Tianwei Ai FUKUHARA Kasumi ISHIKAWA and Mima ITO all looking to make sure that a repeat of the 2015 World Championships final does not come to fruition. 14th stop of the US$3 000 000 GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour the China Open is also the sixth and final Super Series event of the year which is the top tier on the World Tour. The rest of the World Tour events are split into Major series (6 events) and Challenge (11 events). All players will be pushing for Race to Lisbon points in a bid to qualify for the World Tour Grand Finals. The top 16 singles and top eight doubles pairs on the Race to Lisbon Standings will be invited to the prestigious 2015 World Tour Grand Finals to be held in Lisbon Portugal on 10-13 December 2015. The GAC Group 2015 World Tour is offering a record US$3 000 000 in prize money and will also be the most viewed in history with more events shown live throughout the world on television and all the events being shown live on ITTF’s live streaming platform ITTF.com/itTV.