Saturday, November 24, 2007
1:41 AM
ASIAN Cup - Singapore's Gao Ning and Li Jia Wei are the Top Seeds
Under the auspices of the Asian Table Tennis Union and the Vietnam Table Tennis Association this weekend host the 2007 HTV Asia Cup in the bustling city of Hanoi. The Asia Cup comprises 16 players from around the region.

The Asia Cup, an annual event, sees the winner of the event gain direct entry in the ITTF World Cup. The two World Cup Single’s Champions of 2007, Wang Hao Champion of the LIEBHERR Men’s World Cup in Barcelona Spain and WANG Nan Champion of the Volkswagen Women’s World Cup in Chengdu China both qualified via the last Asia Cup, help in India in 2006.

However, for the 2007 Asia Cup it will not be a Chinese victory. The 2007 event directly clashes with the Chinese National Championships currently being held in Wuxi, Zhejiang province in China. As a result the 2008 Asia Cup is arguably as wide open as it has been in many years.

Leading the way in the men will be the Singaporean Gao Ning, the highest World Ranked player here in action, currently ranked 11 in the November 2007 ITTF World Rankings. However, hot on his tail will be Japans Jun Mizutani, the youngster currently sits at 32 on the rankings. Singapore’s Yang Zi (World Ranking 38), Hong Kong’s Jian Tian Yi (World Ranking 50) and India’s Achanta Sharath Kamal (World Ranking 77) are the other major hopes to take the Title. Other athletes include: Phuchong Sanguansin (THA), Choi Hyun Jin (KOR), Kim Jung Hoon (KOR), Tsuboguchi Michikazu (JPN), Subhajit Saha (IND), Tse Ka Chun (HKG) and those that the loud crowd will be cheering on from Vietnam Doan Kien Quoc (VIE) and Nquyen Nam Hai (VIE).

In the Women’s event Singapore’s Li Jia Wei would normally be hot favorite to claim the title of Asia Cup Champion. However, the ITTF World Ranked number 6 has been having an up and down year and Hong Kong’s Jiang Hua Jun (World Ranked number 7) and Li’s compatriot Wang Yue Gu (World Ranked number 8) will be extremely tough opponents. In fact they are the top ranked players behind the mighty China who's players fill the top 5 rankings. Others vying for the title of Asian Cup Champion are Anisara Muangsuk (THA), Yu Kwok See (HKG), Aggarwal Neha (IND). Poulomi Ghatak (IND), Lee Eun Hee (KOR), Cho Ha La (KOR), Ishigaki Yoshihito (JPN), Ishikawa Kasumi (JPN) and local favorites Mai Hoang Trang (VIE) and Mai Xuan Hang (VIE).

Play gets under way on Saturday the 24th with four groups of four players, with the top two players to make it through to the knock out quarter final stage and the eventual winner to be decided in the evening of Sunday the 25th.




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