Chinese Start as Favourites
The Chinese trio who were instrumental in their country capturing
the Men’s World Cup Team title in Magdeburg, Germany
on Sunday 7th October 2007 are the favourites for honours
at the Liebherr Men’s World Cup which starts in Barcelona,
Spain on Friday 12th October and concludes with the final
on Sunday 14th October 2007.
Wang Hao, the winner of the Men’s Singles title at
the Volkswagen Pro Tour Grand Finals in December 2006, and
the player who currently occupies the number one spot on the
ITTF Men’s World Rankings, is the top seed.
Colleague Ma Lin, winner of the Men’s World Cup title
a record four times, is seeded two with Wang Liqin, the reigning
Men’s Singles World champion is seeded three.
Potentially, Germany’s Timo Boll is Europe’s
greatest threat to Chinese supremacy in Barcelona. He is seeded
four and won the Men’s World Cup title in 2002 and 2005;
on the latter occasion beating Wang Liqin, Ma Lin and Wang
Hao on his way to the title. However, he withdrew from the
World Team Cup in Magdeburg one week ago through illness and
certainly his preparations for the Liebherr Men’s World
Cup have been hampered.
Twice the champion and the record is the same for Vladimir
Samsonov of Belarus. He succeeded in 1999 and 2001; alongside
Timo Boll he leads the European challenge.
Meanwhile, the Korean contingent could well have a bearing
on the occasion with Oh Sang, Ryu Seung Min and Joo Se Hyuk
on duty. Oh Sang Eun was well below his best form at last
week’s World Team Cup in Magdeburg whilst Joo Se Hyuk
excelled and if there is a man for the big occasion; then
it is Ryu Seung Min.
Just ask Wang Hao about Ryu Seung Min; in World Ranking events
at senior level they have played each other thirteen times.
Ryu Seung Min has won once, the occasion, the Men’s
Singles final at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004.
Play starts with matches in the group stage, the eight players
who finish first and second in each group progress to the
knock-out stage with the losing semi-finalists competing for
the bronze medal.
Group One
Wang Hao (China), Ryu Seung Min (KOR), Chuan Chih-Yuan (TPE),
William Henzell (AUS)
Group Two
Ma Lin (CHN), Gao Ning (SIN), Joo Se HYuk (KOR), Marc Duran
(ESP)
Group Three
Wang Liqin (CHN), Vladimir Samsonov (BLR), Liu Song (ARG),
Ahmed Ali Saleh (EGY)
Group Four
Timo Boll (GER), Oh Sang Eun (KOR), Wener Schlager (AUT),
Pradeeban Peter-Paul (CAN)
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"Source:
ITTF Press Release