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14 March 2013 China’s Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen will defend the titles won one year ago; they are both named in the starting list for the GAC GROUP 26th Asian Cup, to be staged in Hong Kong from Friday 12th to Sunday 14th April 2013.
They are the leading Chinese names on duty and the top seeds in the three day event, which is a qualification step for the Men’s World Cup and the STARTS Women’s World Cup. |
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The Men’s World Cup will be staged in the Belgian city of Verviers from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th October, being preceded by the STARTS Women’s World Cup to be hosted in Kobe, Japan from Saturday 21st to Monday 23rd September 2013.
A maximum of two players per national association, unless a third is allocated by a “Wild Card”, Yan An Wu Yang are the further names nominated by the Chinese Table Tennis Association for the respective Men’s and Women’s Singles events.
Both are seeking places amongst China’s elite of the elite and both have time on their side. Yan An is 20 years old and Wu Yang, one year older,
Furthermore, both are major contenders for honours in Hong Kong.
Yan An has yet to win his first career ITTF World Tour Men’s Singles title but he came within a hair’s breadth earlier this year in February in Qatar and surely it is only a matter of time before that honour is bestowed.
Meanwhile, Wu Yang has crossed that hurdle; she won the Women’s Singles titles on the ITTF World Tour at the Slovenian Open in Velenje in 2011 and soon after in the same year at the Polish Open in Wladyslawowo.
Yan An is the ninth seed in the Men’s Singles event, Wu Yang is the fourth seed in the counterpart Women’s Singles competition.
Hong Kong’s Jiang Tianyi is next in the order of merit in the Men’s Singles event followed by Singapore’s Gao Ning, Tang Peng also from Hong Kong and DPR Korea’s Kim Hyok Bong.
Iran’s Noshad Alamiyan, whose younger brother Nima is also on the starting list, is the sixth seed. Korea’s Seo Hyundeok and Japan’s Yuto Muramatsu complete the top eight names.
A strong representation for the host association in the Men’s Singles event and also in the Women’s Singles competition; Tie Yana is the no.5 seed, Jiang Huajun is listed one place below.
Singapore’s Feng Tianwei occupies the second seeded place, with Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa being the third seed. Korea’s Yang Haeun and Seok Hajung are the respective seventh and eighth seeded places in the draw.
A total prize fund is US$ 100,000 is on offer with the winners of the respective Men’s and Women’s Singles events each receiving US$ 14,000.
Play takes place in the Queen Elizabeth Stadium.
Article by: ITTF - Ian Marshall Photo by courtesy of the ITTF |
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