International Rivals Pair Up at ITTF World Tour China Open

International doubles pairings is again the big news at the $172,000 ITTF World Tour (Super Series) - China Open being held 12-16 June 2013 in Changchun, China.

"I welcome everyone to Changchun, who is hosting this event for the fourth time," stated Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA) Vice President LU Yuansheng.

"This is the first big event after the World Table Tennis Championships, and it is going to have huge media interest, especially with the mixed international doubles pairs after the big success at the ITTF Korea Open," concluded Mr LU.

The most anticipated pairing is former World Number Ones Timo BOLL (GER) and MA Long (CHN) who are joining forces in the men's doubles.

Timo BOLL and MA Long are seen as a pair made in heaven. The 32 year old BOLL agreed with this analysis: "MA Long's forehand is a grenade. I'll do anything to bring him into firing position, especially as 50 million Chinese will be watching us on television. So I am hopeful we will do well together. "

Changchun resident and 2013 World Table Tennis Championships finalist WANG Hao (CHN) who is pairing up with young French sensation Quentin ROBINOT (FRA) said at the pre event press conference: "I am looking forward to playing with ROBINOT, we will learn a lot from each other and it will be a good promotion for the sport. I am looking forward to playing in front of my family and friends here in my hometown."

Other fascinating pairs are: World and Olympic Champion ZHANG Jike (CHN) with World Number 24 Adrien MATTENET (FRA), World Number 1 XU Xin and Patrick FRANZISKA (GER), and finally Olympic bronze medalist Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (GER) is teaming up with YAN An (CHN).

The majority of these players in these pairings will also be the favorites to clinch gold in the singles event and gain valuable points to qualify for the 1 million dollars World Tour Final.

If the draw goes according to seeding, local hero WANG Hao will have a tough quarter final against German sensation Timo BOLL, while reigning Olympic and World Champion ZHANG Jike, will have to play his bogey player YAN An who he has lost to twice in 2013 to make the last 4.

In the Women's singles, World Number 1 DING Ning (CHN) and World Number 2 LIU Shiwen (CHN) will be focused on getting revenge over World and Olympic Champion LI Xiaoxia (CHN) after losing in the semi finals and finals respectively at the recent World Table Tennis Championships in Paris, France.

The draw, which was just held in the Hina Hotel in Changchun has put DING Ning and LI Xiaoxia again in the same half, so a fascinating rematch of the Paris classic is on the cards.

FENG Tianwei (SIN), and Viktoria PAVLOVICH (BLR) will lead the international charge to spoil China's party in their home World Tour event.

Watch all the world's best table tennis players action from Changchun LIVE and exclusively at ITTF.com/itTV from Wednesday 12 June and follow all the live results onITTF.com. Review photos on ITTF's Flickr page here.

For more information, please contact ITTF's Promotion Manager Matt Pound at mpound@ittf.com.

About International Table Tennis Federation

The International Table Tennis Federation is responsible for the global sport of table tennis and has 218 affiliated National Associations. Table Tennis is an Olympic Sport, introduced at the 1988 Seoul Olympics Games. Table Tennis is also a Paralympic Sport.

Find out more about the International Table Tennis Federation at ITTF.com.

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