No Ma Long but the combination of Xu Xin, Fan Zhendong, Lin Gaoyuan and Liang Jingkun alongside Wang Chuqin is a quite breathtaking line-up; it is no different for women. List the top seven names on the current world rankings, leave out Zhu Yuling, let her focus on the women’s doubles and you have the selection; Chen Meng, Ding Ning, Liu Shiwen, Wang Manyu and Sun Yingsha.

In the men’s singles event, Xu Xin heads the order followed by Fan Zhendong, Lin Gaoyuan and Tomokazu Harimoto; Liang Jingkun, Lin Yun-Ju, Jang Woojin and Wong Chun Ting complete the top eight names.

Focus and teenage talents

Eyes focus very much on teenagers Tomokazu Harimoto and Lin Yun-Jun as to whether they can dent Chinese pride; in the men’s team event they lead their colleagues. Notably there is no Jun Mizutani or Koki Niwa in the Japanese selection; Tomokazu Harimoto is supported by brothers Maharu and Kazuhiro Yoshimura with Yukiya Uda and Takuya Jin completing the order.

Japan occupies the no.4 seeded position; the no.2 spot is in the hands of the Korea Republic. Jang Woojin joins forces with An Jaehyun, Jeong Youngsik, Lee Sangsu and Kim Minhyeok. Next in line is Chinese Taipei, Lin Yun-Ju being supported by Chen Chien-An, Pang Wang-Wei and Wang Tai-Wei.

Team order

In the women’s singles, the top five places are filled by the Chinese team, Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa and Miu Hirano, the sensational women’s singles winner two years ago in Wuxi, are next on the list with Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching being the no.8 seed.

The notable name missing from the Japanese women’s team selection is that of Mima Ito. The no.2 seeds, Saki Shibata, Miyu Kato, Hitomi Sato form the trio to join Kasumi Ishikawa and Miu Hirano. Hong Kong occupies the no.3 seeded spot followed by the Korea Republic. The Hong Kong team sheet reads Doo Hoi Kem, Chau Wing Sze, Lee Ho Ching, Minnie Soo Wai Yam and Zhu Chengzhu; for Korea Republic the order announced is Suh Hyowon, Yang Haeun, Shin Yubin, Lee Eunhye and Jeon Jihee.

Doubles the same

Top spots for China, it is the very same in the doubles events. Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin, crowned world champions in 2017 in Düsseldorf, occupy the top seeded men’s doubles spot; likewise partnering Liu Shiwen, Xu Xin occupies the same mixed doubles status.

Next in line to Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin is the pairing of Liang Jingkun and Lin Gaoyuan, followed by Jeoung Youngsik and Lee Sangsu; Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting and Ho Kwan Kit complete the top four pairs. Meanwhile, in the mixed doubles competition, Lin Yun-Ju and Cheng I-Ching reserve the no.2 seeded spot; next on the list are the names of Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games gold medallists. They are followed by Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem, winners in Incheon at the 2018 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals.

Similarly, in the women’s doubles event, China is to the fore. Chen Meng and Wang Manyu occupy the top seeded position followed by Ding Ning and Zhu Yuling. Miu Hirano and Kasumi Ishikawa pursued by Doo Hoi Kem and Lee Ho Ching complete the top four pairs.

Play commences with the team events.