Seamaster 2016 ITTF Women's World Cup Players Biographies
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Seamaster 2016 ITTF Women’s World Cup Players Biographies #ITTFWorldCup Page 1 FENG Tianwei (SGP) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-Asian Cup Bronze Current World Ranking: 6 Seed: 1 Age: 30 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 8 Best WC Result: 2013 Bronze Highlights of career: 2010 World Team Champion, Beijing 2008 Olympic Team Silver, London 2012 Olympic Singles Bronze Playing info: Attack/Right/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: Mandarin Interesting story: Feng was talent scouted in Japan by then Singapore’s coach Liu Guodong in 2007. She led the Singapore team to greater heights by winning the Olympic Team Silver in 2008, and also the World Team Champion in 2010. #ITTFWorldCup Page 2 CHENG I-Ching (TPE) Qualification: Substitute Current World Ranking: 8 Seed: 2 Age: 24 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 3 Best WC Result: 2015 Round of 16 Highlights of career: 2016 World Championships Team Bronze Playing info: Attack/Right/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: Mandarin Interesting story: 2016 has been a relatively good year for Cheng as she breaks into the Top 10 ranks for the first time, and also reaching the quarterfinals at the Rio Olympics in her first outing. #ITTFWorldCup Page 3 Mima ITO (JPN) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-Asian Cup 6th place Current World Ranking: 11 Seed: 3 Age: 15 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 1 Best WC Result: - Highlights of career: Rio 2016 Olympic Team Bronze Playing info: Attack/Right/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: Japanese Interesting story: Ito became the youngest player to ever win an Olympic medal when she won the Team Bronze medal at the Rio Olympics for the Japan team. She was awarded the 2015 Breakthrough Star Award at the ITTF Star Awards last year. #ITTFWorldCup Page 4 Petrissa SOLJA (GER) Qualification: Substitute Current World Ranking: 16 Seed: 4 Age: 22 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 3 Best WC Result: 2015 Bronze Highlights of career: Rio 2016 Olympics Team Silver Playing info: Attack/Left/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: German, English Interesting story: Born in a table tennis family, Solja has been a regular face for the German team since 2009 when she made her senior debut. Her sister Amelie, represents Austria on the international stage. #ITTFWorldCup Page 5 Miu HIRANO (JPN) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-Asian Cup 5th place Current World Ranking: 17 Seed: 5 Age: 16 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 1 Best WC Result: - Highlights of career: 2014 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals Women’s Doubles Gold Playing info: Attack/Right/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: Japanese Interesting story: Hirano won her first ever ITTF World Tour Singles title in April’s Polish Open, and together with Ito Mima, their names are recorded in the Guinness World Records for being the youngest winner to win an ITTF World Tour title (When they won 2014 German Open Women’s Doubles title at 13-years-old). #ITTFWorldCup Page 6 TIE Yana (HKG) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-Asian Cup 4th place Current World Ranking: 18 Seed: 6 Age: 37 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 12 Best WC Result: 2008 Runner-up Highlights of career: 9 ITTF World Tour Singles title, 2008 Women’s World Cup Runner-up Playing info: Attack/Right/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese Interesting story: Tie has 9 ITTF World Tour Singles title to her belt. Her latest win was in 2016 January Hungarian Open, her first title after returning to international from giving birth in 2013. Tie holds the record for the most number of appearances at the Women’s World Cup. #ITTFWorldCup Page 7 Jia LIU (AUT) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-European Cup Bronze Current World Ranking: 21 Seed: 7 Age: 34 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 11 Best WC Result: 2015 Quarterfinalist Highlights of career: 2005, 2014 & 2015 ITTF-European Cup Champion Playing info: Attack/Left/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: Mandarin, German Interesting story: Liu returned to international play after giving birth to her child in 2011. Liu was also awarded the Fair Play Star Award at the 2014 ITTF Star Awards. #ITTFWorldCup Page 8 Melek HU (TUR) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-European Cup Silver Current World Ranking: 27 Seed: 8 Age: 27 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 4 Best WC Result: 2015 Quarterfinalist Highlights of career: 2015 European Women’s Doubles Champion Playing info: Attack/Right/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: Mandarin Interesting story: In partnership with Yanfei Shen (ESP), Hu won the Women’s’ Doubles title at the 2015 ITTF-European Championships. #ITTFWorldCup Page 9 YANG Haeun (KOR) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-Asian Cup 9th-12th place Current World Ranking: 28 Seed: 9 Age: 22 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 3 Best WC Result: 2015 Round of 16 Highlights of career: 2015 World Mixed Doubles Champion Playing info: Attack/Right/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: Korean Interesting story: Since Yang was 6 years old, her mum has always been her coach. At last month China Open, Yang beat recently crowned Chinese National Champion Zhu Yuling. Yang also won the World Mixed Doubles title last year in partnership with Xu Xin (CHN). #ITTFWorldCup Page 10 Elizabeta SAMARA (ROU) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-European Cup 4th place Current World Ranking: 32 Seed: 10 Age: 27 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 3 Best WC Result: 2012 Runner-up Highlights of career: 2015 European Champion Playing info: Attack/Left/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: Romanian, English, Spanish, Italian Interesting story: Also known as Eliza, she is the only European woman to have advanced to the finals of the Women’s World Cup. Eliza also became the third Romanian woman to win the European Singles title when she won the ITTF-European Championships in 2015. #ITTFWorldCup Page 11 Georgina POTA (HUN) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-European Cup 7th place Current World Ranking: 34 Seed: 11 Age: 31 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 4 Best WC Result: 2014 Bronze Highlights of career: 2014 Women’s World Cup Bronze Playing info: Attack/Right/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: Hungarian, English Interesting story: Pota won her first major senior title at the 2007 European Championships in the team event. She’s also named the Hungarian Table Tennis Player of the year for 2004, 2012 & 2013. #ITTFWorldCup Page 12 JIANG Huajun (HKG) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-Asian Cup 7th place Current World Ranking: 39 Seed: 12 Age: 32 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 9 Best WC Result: 2010 Runner-up Highlights of career: 2010 Women’s World Cup Runner-up Playing info: Attack/Right/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese Interesting story: This will be Jiang’s 9th appearance at the Women’s World Cup, the third most number of appearances, behind teammate Tie Yana (12) and Austria’s Jia Liu (11). #ITTFWorldCup Page 13 Sabine WINTER (GER) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-European Cup 6th place Current World Ranking: 56 Seed: 13 Age: 24 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 1 Best WC Result: - Highlights of career: 2013 European Women’s Doubles Champion Playing info: Attack/Right/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: German, English Interesting story: Winter is able to juggle 3 balls, while balancing on a slack line. #ITTFWorldCup Page 14 Yanfei SHEN (ESP) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-European Cup Champion Current World Ranking: 57 Seed: 14 Age: 36 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 4 Best WC Result: 2012 Bronze Highlights of career: 2016 ITTF-European Cup Champion, 2015 European Women’s Doubles Champion Playing info: Attack/Left/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: Mandarin, Spanish Interesting story: In 2005, Shen won the Pro Tour Grand Finals with Gao Jun in doubles. It was the first time in history that a non-Asian pair clinched the title. #ITTFWorldCup Page 15 Sofia POLCANOVA (AUT) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-European Cup 5th place Current World Ranking: 63 Seed: 15 Age: 22 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 1 Best WC Result: - Highlights of career: Rio 2016 Olympian Playing info: Attack/Left/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: Romanian, English Interesting story: Originally from Moldova, Polcanova moved to Austria for better opportunities. She has since represented Austria in the recent Rio Olympics. #ITTFWorldCup Page 16 Lily ZHANG (USA) Qualification: Wild Card Current World Ranking: 100 Seed: 16 Age: 20 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 1 Best WC Result: - Highlights of career: 2014 Youth Olympic Games Bronze, 2015 North American Champion Playing info: Attack/Right/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: English, Mandarin Interesting story: Zhang studies Psychology in the University of California – Berkeley. She took a year off from university and resided in Austria for 3 months to prepare for the Rio Olympic Games. #ITTFWorldCup Page 17 Dina MESHREF (EGY) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-African Cup Champion Current World Ranking: 120 Seed: 17 Age: 22 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 4 Best WC Result: 2015 Round of 16 Highlights of career: 2015 African Champion, 2014, 2015, 2016 ITTF- African Cup Champion, 2015 All-African Games Champion Playing info: Attack/Left/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: Arabic, English Interesting story: Meshref became the first African player to reach the main draw of the Women’s World Cup in 2015, after beating Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) in the group stage. From 2014 till now, she has won all titles at stake in Africa. #ITTFWorldCup Page 18 Yue WU (USA) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-North American Cup Champion Current World Ranking: 142 Seed: 18 Age: 26 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 1 Best WC Result: - Highlights of career: 2016 ITTF-North American Cup Champion, 2015 Pan American Champion Playing info: Attack/Right/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: English, Mandarin Interesting story: Wu coached the comedian and actor Judah Friedlander. She won her first international major title at the Pan American Games last year in Toronto. #ITTFWorldCup Page 19 Zhenhua DEDERKO (AUS) Qualification: 2016 ITTF-Oceania Cup Champion Current World Ranking: 162 Seed: 19 Age: 39 WWC Appearances (incl. 2016): 1 Best WC Result: - Highlights of career: 2016 ITTF-Oceania Cup Champion Playing info: Attack/Right/Shakehand Language(s) spoken: English, Mandarin Interesting story: Dederko emerged as the surprise winner at the 2016 Oceania Cup, as she had never progressed past the semifinal stage on 4 previous occasions.