The Chinese Team training with the Korean Team at the 2013 Korea Open. Photo from cfp.cn.
For one of the first times in history, the top Chinese men's players will pair up with foreign players in the doubles event at the Korean Air 2013 Korea Open on 3-7 April 2013.
"This initiative from the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA) is most welcome. It is a great idea that will help make World Tour events even more exciting. It is also one of the positive steps taken by the CTTA to help the development of players from other countries" stated ITTF President Adham Sharara.
Chinese head coach, LIU Guoliang, added: "The Korea Open will be our first trial of pairing with foreign players. This invitation is open to every country, not just the top ones, as we want to give everyone a chance.
I believe this is good for the growth and development of worldwide table tennis. For example XU Xin will pair up with the Frenchman Adrien MATTENET. This is a great partnership. A left handed player teaming up with a right hander player, it will be very exciting."
In addition to World #2 XU Xin and Adrien MATTENET playing together, the rest of the top Chinese players will be playing doubles with local Korean players, which will arouse immense interest around Incheon City, where the tournament will be held.
The partnerships have been thoughtfully chosen with three of the six pairings involving a left-hander partnering a right-hander and three displaying a shake-hands grip artist with a pen-hold exponent.
The top seeded pair will be Olympic Champion ZHANG Jike (CHN) playing together with SEO Hyundeok (KOR). As both have had erratic form over the past few months, this will certainly be a pair to watch as you do not know what to expect.
World #1, Ma Long (CHN) will pair up with LEE Jungwoo (KOR), to form a deadly combination. These two have the most lethal forehands in men's table tennis, so they will be very hard to beat.
One pair that will reap rewards for sheer consistency and excelling in rallies is the combination of two right handers, the shake-hands grip style of Korea's JUNG Youngsik and the pen-hold technique of China's WANG Hao.
The final two international pairs will be MA Lin (CHN) playing with CHO Eonrae (KOR), and YAN An (CHN) paring up with LEE Sangsu (KOR).
Fresh from their success at the Times Property 2013 World Team Classic, the Chinese men's team will also be heavy favourites to win the men's singles titles in Korea.
As the Chinese women's players are taking a break ahead of the LIEBHERR 2013 World Table Tennis Championships in May, players such as FENG Tianwei (SIN) and SHEN Yanfei (ESP) will like their chances of clinching gold.
Follow all the live results and watch the event live on the home of international Table Tennis, ITTF.com.
For more information contact: ITTF's Promotion Manager Matt Pound at media@ittf.com.
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