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Home wins hit headlines, a chance for Li Ping to achieve immortality

QATAR TABLE TENNIS ASSOCIATION

A home win or a player from the host nation reaching the latter stages, causing an upset, igniting the crowd, hitting the headlines; it is the wish of every tournament organising committee in promoting their event. If that is to happen at the forthcoming Seamaster Qatar 2016 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals which commence in Doha on Thursday 8th December; in the first round of the Men’s Singles event, the host association’s Li Ping will have to produce the very best form of his career.


Li Ping celebrates Olympic Games qualification in Hong Kong; will he celebrate on home soil? (Photo: Ricky Leung, Donald Chin)

Accepted that he is a former World champion, he won the Mixed Doubles event in partnership with Cao Zhen when in the colours of China at the H.I.S. 2009 World Championships in Yokohama but if he is to succeed in his opening round contest in the Ali Bin Hamad Al-Atiyah Arena, he will need to excel the standard reached just over seven years ago.He faces China’s Ma Long, the defending champion, four times winner of the title, more than any other player; add to that fact that he is the reigning Olympic and World champion; the daunting task is put into perspective.

 

I chose to continue playing table tennis after Rio, definitely I want to play every match well. The Grand Finals is the last competition of the year. I have won four times before, so this time I hope I can still do my best and play well in every single match”, Ma Long.

 

Likewise, tough tasks face Japan’s Koki Niwa, the player who received a last minute call up to replace the injured Zhang Jike; he confronts the latter’s Chinese national team colleague, Fan Zhendong, the no.2 seed.

Equally, it is a similar daunting prospect for Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chien-An; he opposes the third member of the Chinese contingent on duty in Doha. He plays Xu Xin, the no.3 seed.

Meanwhile, for twice Grand Finals Men’s Singles champion, Japan’s Jun Mizutani, the no.4 seed, he confronts Korea’s Jeoung Youngsik; whilst Europe, Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov opposes Hong Kong’s Tang Peng; Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus confronts Japan’s Yuto Muramatsu.

In the one remaining first round Men’s Singles clash; Chinese Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan opposes Japan’s Yuya Oshima.

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