Below, a guide to the Table Tennis Asian Cup taking place in Dubai, a key continental warm-up event ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics that will feature some of the leading stars of the sport.
What
2016 Table Tennis Asian Cup in Dubai
The tournament, an annual singles championship organised by the Asian Table Tennis Union, both figures into qualifying for the annual men’s and women’s World Cup (October 1-3 men’s in Saarbrucken, Germany; October 7-9 women’s in TBD) and the final major event for Asia ahead of the 2016 Olympics. It also comes on the heels of the April 13-17 Asian Olympic Qualification tournament in Hong Kong.
When
April 28-30. The draw to be held April 27.
*Match schedule to be released at a later date
Where
Dubai World Trade Centre’s Zabeel Hall
Tickets
Admission is free
• Read more: Ahmed Rizvi – 2016 Table Tennis Asian Cup to serve up ranking points ahead of Olympics qualification
Who
Some of the world’s top ranked table tennis stars will be on hand. The confirmed players so far include:
*with notable results from Olympics; biennial Table Tennis World Championships; annual World Cup and Asian Cup
Men
Zhang Jike, China (world No 4) – Gold-medal winner at 2012 London Olympics; gold 2011, 2014 Table Tennis World Cup; semi-finals 2015 World Championships; silver 2010 Table Tennis World Cup; gold 2010 Asian Cup; bronze 2009 Asian Cup; silver 2011 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals; T-3rd 2009, 2015 ITTF Grand Finals
Xu Xin, China (No 3) – Gold-medal winner at 2013 Table Tennis World Cup; semi-finals 2013 World Championships; last-16 2015 World Championships; gold 2012, 2013 and 2015 Asian Cup; silver 2011 Asian Cup; bronze 2010 Asian Cup; gold 2012, 2013 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals; silver 2009 Grand Finals; T-3rd 2015 Grand Finals
Chuang Chih-yuan, Chinese Taipei (No 7) – Bronze-medal winner at 2013 Asian Cup; 4th at 2012 London Olympics; last-32 2008 Beijing Olympics; last-16 2013 World Championships; first round 2015 World Championships; gold 2002 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals; T-3rd 2012 Grand Finals
Jun Mizutani, Japan (No 6) – Bronze-medal winner at 2007, 2014 and 2015 Asian Cup; last-16 at 2012 London Olympics; last-32 2008 Beijing Olympics; quarter-finals 2015 World Championships; first round 2013 World Championships; gold 2010, 2014 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals
Gao Ning, Singapore (No 25) – Last-16 at 2012 London Olympics; last-32 2008 Beijing Olympics; last-16 2013, 2015 World Championships; T-3rd 2011 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals
Nima Alamian, Iran (No 119) – Third round at 2012 London Olympics; last-32 2013 World Championships; first round 2015 World Championships
Tang Peng, Hong Kong (No 17) – Second round at 2012 London Olympics; quarter-finals 2015 World Championships; last-32 2013 World Championships; T-3rd 2014 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals
Soumyajit Ghosh, India (No 83) – Second round at 2012 London Olympics; second round 2015 World Championships; first round 2013 World Championships
Wong Chun Ting, Hong Kong (No 11) – Last-16 2015 World Championships
Koki Niwa, Japan (No 12) – Last-16 2013, 2015 World Championships
Jung Young-sik, South Korea (No 14) – Last-32 2015 World Championships; second round 2013 World Championships
Lee Sang-su, South Korea (No 18) – Last-16 2015 World Championships; second round 2013 World Championships
Abdulla Al Balooshi, UAE – National No 1
Women
Liu Shiwen, China (world No 1) – Gold-medal winner at 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015 Table Tennis World Cup; gold 2013 World Championships; silver 2013, 2015 World Championships; gold 2010, 2012, 2013 Asian Cup; silver 2009, 2015 Asian Cup; gold 2011, 2012, 2013 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals
Feng Tianwei, Singapore (No 6) – Bronze-medal winner at 2012 London Olympics; quarter-finals 2008 Beijing Olympics; bronze 2008, 2013 Table Tennis World Cup; quarter-finals 2013, 2015 World Championships; gold 2015 Asian Cup; silver 2008 Asian Cup; bronze 2010 Asian Cup; gold 2010 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals; T-3rd 2008, 2009, 2012 Grand Finals
Jiang Huajun, Hong Kong (No 31) – Last-16 at 2012 London Olympics; Last-16 2013, 2015 World Championships
Tie Yana, Hong Kong (No 24) – Quarter-finals at 2008 Beijing Olymipcs; Last-32 2015 World Championships; T-3rd 2005 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals
Zhu Yuling, China (No 3) – Bronze-medal winner at 2015 Asian Cup; semi-finals 2013 World Championships; quarter-finals 2015 World Championships; T-3rd 2015 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals
Mima Ito, Japan (No 9) – Quarter-finals 2015 World Championships
Seo Hyo-won, South Korea (No 12) – Last-16 2013 World Championships; second round 2015 World Championships; silver 2014 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals
Yang Hae-un, South Korea (No 14) – last-16 2015 World Championships; last-32 2013 World Championships
Cheng I-ching, Chinese Taipei (No 16) – Last-16 2015 World Championships; second round 2013 World Championships
Yu Mengyu, Singapore (No 28) – Last-16 2015 World Championships; second round 2013 World Championships; T-3rd 2014 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals
Miu Hirano, Japan (No 19) – Last-32 2013, 2015 World Championships
Chen Szu-yu, Chinese Taipei (No 36) – Last-32 2015 World Championships; second round 2013 World Championships
Noura Al Maazmi, UAE – National No 1
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