ZEN-NOH 2019 TEAM WORLD CUP MEDIA KIT CITY: Tokyo, Japan SITE: Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, 1-17-1, Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151- 0051, Japan DATE: 06-10 Nov 2019 PLAYERS: 48 men 51 women 99 total COUNTRIES: 16 TABLES: 4 TABLE BRAND: San-Ei Tibhar - Infinity BALL BRAND: Double Fish 40+ FLOOR BRAND: Trioflor MEDIA CONTACT: ITTF Media Officer, James Francis, [email protected] LOC Media Officer, Kana Koizumi, [email protected] INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Zen-noh 2019 ITTF Team World Cup, the 12th edition of the Team World Cup. The Team World Cup comprises of a total of 12 men’s and 12 women’s team which are made up of a host team, Continental Champions and other top finishers at the 2016 World Team Table Tennis Championships. This media kit is designed to provide an update on the Zen-noh 2019 ITTF Team World Cup. Enclosed are statistics and notes that will be of assistance during the tournament. Players’ biographies as well as statistical, historical and personal data can be found on ITTF.com. Please make player interview requests through a member of the ITTF and OC media staff located in the press room. The last edition of the ITTF Team World Cup was held in 2018 in London, and this edition of the Team World Cup will serve as the test event for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Key Dates/Times 06 November 2019, 11:00am @ Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium – Women’s and Men’s Team Round 1 & 2 07 November 2019, 10:00am @ Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium – Women’s and Men’s Team Round 3 07 November 2019, end of all matches @ Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium – Final Stage Draw 08 November 2019, 1:00pm @ Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium – Women’s and Men’s Team Quarter- finals 09 November 2019, 11:00am @ Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium – Women’s and Men’s Team Semi- finals 10 November 2019, 01:00pm @ Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium – Women’s and Men’s Team Finals #ITTFWorldCup Page 1 Playing System • In the 1st stage the teams will be divided into 4 equal groups, with all the members of a group playing each other, and in the 2nd stage the group winners and runners-up will compete in a knockout. • For the 1st stage, the highest-ranked team will be placed in Group A, the 2nd highest in Group B, the 3rd highest in Group C and the 4th highest in Group D; the remaining teams will be drawn into the groups 2 at a time in ranking order. • For the 2nd stage, the winners of Groups A and B will be placed in positions 1 and 8 respectively and the winners of groups C and D will be drawn between positions 4 and 5; the runners-up will be drawn into the remaining places, in opposite halves from the winners of the same groups. • In the semi-finals, the winner of the 1st quarterfinal will play the winner of the 2nd and the winner of the 3rd will play the winner of the 4th; the winners of the semi-finals will play each other in the final. • The tournament will be played in accordance with the Laws of Table Tennis and the Regulations for International Competitions. • All team matches shall be played on the new Olympic Test Playing System with a maximum of 4 singles and 1 doubles. Order of matches: BC vs YZ; A vs X; C vs Z; A vs Y; B vs X • Each team has to submit their player list (Players A, B, C / Players X, Y, Z) at least 20 minutes before the start of each match. • All individual matches of a team match shall be the best of 5 games. • Seeding list done with the best 3 entered players and according to latest World Team Ranking February 2019. Prize Money Champions: US$50,000 Runner-up: US$25,000 Semi-finalist: US$12,000 Position 5-8: US$6,000 Position 9-12: US$3,000 Total: US$270,000 Past Winners and Locations Men’s Team Year Host City Gold Silver 2018 London China Japan 2015 Dubai China Austria 2013 Guangzhou China Chinese Taipei 2011 Magdeburg China South Korea 2010 Dubai China South Korea 2009 Linz China South Korea 2007 Magdeburg China Hong Kong #ITTFWorldCup Page 2 1995 Atlanta South Korea Germany 1994 Nimes China Sweden 1991 Barcelona China Sweden 1990 Chiba Sweden China Women’s Team Year Host City Gold Silver 2018 London China Japan 2015 Dubai China North Korea 2013 Guangzhou China Japan 2011 Magdeburg China Japan 2010 Dubai China Singapore 2009 Linz China Singapore 2007 Magdeburg China South Korea 1995 Atlanta China Romania 1994 Nimes Russia Germany 1991 Barcelona China South Korea 1990 Chiba China North Korea #ITTFWorldCup Page 3 Men’s Team Bio China Seed: 1 FAN Zhendong XU Xin LIN Gaoyuan MA Long Liang Jingkun WR 1 2 3 4 7 Age 22 29 24 31 23 Hand Right Left Left Right Right Playing info Attacking, Shake-hand Attacking, Pen-Hold Attacking, Shake-hand Attacking, Shake-hand Attacking, Shake-hand Interesting 2019 hasn’t been a good Ever present in the Once maligned for not Possibly the best player Rounding up the Chinese story year for Fan, having gone Chinese Team, Xu’s having the best mental ever in Table Tennis, team is Liang whose own most of it without reemergence as one of strength, Lin has grow Captain Long will be an meteoric rise has been winning a major title till the leading men of since his break through inspiration and the overshowed by his more Chinese table tennis saw in 2017 and has illustrious colleagues. his 2019 German Open driving force behind the him briefly took the established himself as a More than a match for win while losing out his Chinese bid to win the World No.1 spot. Ever force to be reckoned anyone, he should not be World No.1 spot for 2 one to entertain, he will with. title in Japan overlooked despite being months before regaining once again be key to the selected for the TWC for it in November. Chinese’s victory. the first time in his career. #ITTFWorldCup Page 4 Japan Seed: 2 Tomokazu HARIMOTO Koki NIWA Jun MIZUTANI Maharu YOSHIMURA Jin Takuya WR 5 11 13 48 52 Age 16 25 30 26 26 Hand Right Left Left Right Right Playing info Attacking, Shake-hand Attacking, Shake-hand Attacking, Shake-hand Attacking, Shake-hand Attacking, Shake-hand Interesting Still only 16 years old, A true enigma of Table A weathered veteran of Debut TWC appearance The second player on this story Harimoto is the leading Tennis, Niwa is capable the Japanese team. for Yoshimura but an Japanese team to be man of the Japanese of the ridiculous and Mizutani’s style of play experience and popular making his debut in the team and will be vital if moment of genius. makes it hard for any player in his homeland. TWC, Jin will be looking Should he be able to pull player looking to end to prove himself in front the team harbors any His uncanny ability to the unexpected out of the match early with his hopes of winning the title of his fans and justify his the bag, he will be ability to “fish” the ball pull off spectacular selection. on home soil. The unplayable for most. back to his opponent shots will wow the biggest threat to the from behind the table. crowd and leave his dominant Chinese team, opponent guessing. he has the weight of the nation on his young shoulders. #ITTFWorldCup Page 5 Germany Seed: 3 Timo BOLL Dimitrij OVTCHAROV Patrick FRANZISKA WR 8 12 16 Age 38 31 27 Hand Left Right Right Playing info Attacking, Shake-hand Attacking, Shake-hand Attacking, Shake-hand Interesting Undoubtedly a German legend, Boll has The former World No.1 have found the Franziska, having been in the shadows of story proven that age is just a number by road back to the top tough since his his two teammate for a long time has continuing to play at the highest level. injury in 2018. However recent signs has been making waves recently in the Having missed the 2018 TWC due to shown that he is getting back to his best, international circuit. One will not be winning the 2019 Europea T16 Cup and quick to forget the incredible 4-3 match injury, he will be hoping to make a making the finals of the 2019 Czech against Xu Xin where he pushed the statement this year in Tokyo. Open World No.1 to his limit with his unrelenting pressure and play. #ITTFWorldCup Page 6 Korea Republic Seed: 4 JANG Woojin LEE Sangsu JEOUNG Youngsik LIM Jonghoon CHO Daeseong WR 14 18 21 29 138 Age 24 29 27 22 17 Hand Right Right Right Left Left Playing info Attacking, Shake-hand Attacking, Shake-hand Attacking, Shake-hand Attacking, Shake-hand Attacking, Shake-hand Interesting First ever World Tour A distinguish player who Having recently start his Despite only being 22, A big moment for the Story Triple Champion and the have shown that he can mandatory military Lim has already youngster and an leading man for Korea compete at the highest service, Jeoung hasn’t established himself as a opportunity to compete Republic. An all action level. Lee is the oldest in laxed on his table tennis top Korean player and at the highest level. the team and will need performance, making Cho’s performance this style of play, Jang is will be looking to use likely to put up a tough to raise his game to help the finals of the Military year has justified his lift the team.