Four Europeans at the 2016 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals

Japan’s Yuya OSHIMA has snatched the 16th and final qualification position for the Seamaster Qatar 2016 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals after winning the 2016 Swedish Open over the weekend.

OSHIMA defeated Mattias KARLSSON (SWE) in the final a direct shootout for the last & final Grand Finals position which will be held 8-11 December 2016 in Doha Qatar.

After the defining match the 22-year-old stated: “This is my best performance ever. I’m very glad with this result. I can’t wait to compete at the World Tour Grand Finals in a few weeks’ time.”

OSHIMA secured the last ticket to Doha but it was Olympic champion and world number one MA Long (CHN) who held the top place of the 2016 World Tour standings after the 20 ITTF World Tour events this year. MA secured two World Tour titles in Germany and Qatar this year and will be aiming to defend his World Tour Grand Finals title he won in Lisbon last year to cap off a dream year.

MA will be joined by his team mates FAN Zhendong XU Xin and ZHANG Jike in Doha with China securing the top four places in the World Tour Standings. Next on the list is Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medalist Jun MIZUTANI (JPN) who has won the World Tour Grand Finals on two occasions and clinched three World Tour titles in 2016.

Like fellow Olympic Champion MA Long DING Ning (CHN) also topped the World Tour Standing on the women’s singles side winning 2016 two World Tour events. The 2015 World Tour Grand Finals champion is followed on the list by world number two LIU Shiwen (CHN) and 2014 World Tour Finals Champion Japan’s Kasumi ISHIKAWA.

Table tennis’s youngest ever Olympic medalist 16-year-old Mima ITO (JPN) secured her place on the back of winning the Austrian Open one week ago with the Japanese superstar being in danger of missing the $500 000 event prior to her victory.

The Seamaster Qatar 2016 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals is the most lucrative table tennis event on the globe with only the top 16 men and women players from the 20 2016 ITTF World Tour events securing their place in Doha. In addition to the singles competition 8 men’s and women’s doubles pairs and 8 men’s and women’s under 21 players will also be making their way to Doha to compete in the event.

The qulified players are: MA Long (CHN) FAN Zhendong (CHN) XU Xin (CHN) ZHANG Jike (CHN) Jun MIZUTANI (JPN) CHUANG Chih -Yuan (TPE) Vladimir SAMSONOV (BLR) WONG Chun Ting (HKG) Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (GER) Yuto MURAMATSU (JPN) Kenta MATSUDAIRA (JPN) CHEN Chien-An (TPE) JEOUNG Youngsik (KOR) TANG Peng (HKG) Yuya OSHIMA (JPN) LI Ping (QAT).

DING Ning (CHN) LIU Shiwen (CHN) ZHU Yuling (CHN) Kasumi ISHIKAWA (JPN) FENG Tianwei (SGP) TIE Yana (HKG) Mima ITO (JPN) CHENG I-Ching (TPE) YANG Haeun (KOR) Miu HIRANO (JPN) Yuka ISHIGAKI (JPN) HAN Ying (GER) LEE Ho Ching (HKG) YU Mengyu (SGP) SHAN Xiaona (GER) Hina HAYATA (JPN).