Macau ITTF World Cup: Wang Chuqin to Face Crucial Battle for Qualification
Xinhua News Agency, Macau, April 16 (Reporter Liu Gang and Li Hanfang) The second day of the 2024 ITTF World Cup in Macau concluded on April 16, with South Korea’s Ahn Jae-hyun currently leading the group after two draws. Wang Chuqin of the Chinese team, who is ranked No. 1 in the world, will face a decisive battle on the 17th in order to secure qualification.
The only Chinese team member in action on the 16th was Kuaiman, who defeated Australian player Hong Jianfang 4-0 in the women’s group match. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Wong Chun-ting suffered a 1-3 defeat to German player Benedikt Duda in the men’s competition.
This year’s World Cup has seen an expansion in the number of participants, with 16 men and 48 women competing in two stages. The group stage, taking place from the 15th to the 17th, sees players divided into 16 groups playing in a “4-game system.” The group winners will advance to the top 16 knockout rounds.
The competition format is innovative, with each group stage game lasting four games and final rankings determined by the results. In the knockout stage, a best-of-7 match will be played until the champion is crowned on the 21st.
All eyes will be on Wang Chuqin as he looks to secure his spot in the knockout rounds with a crucial victory on the 17th. Stay tuned for more updates from the Macau ITTF World Cup.