Players Set for Australian Open

WORLD’S BEST PLAYERS CONFIRMED FOR NEXT WEEK’S AUSTRALIAN TABLE TENNIS OPEN

Six of the world’s top ten male players and seven of the best female players in the world have been confirmed for next week’s Seamaster Australian Open Table Tennis tournament on the Gold Coast, the most lucrative event on the ITTF World Tour this year.

Final entries for the $500,000 event have closed, and as expected table tennis powerhouses China and Japan are well represented among the entries.

The silver and the bronze medallists from the men’s competition at the Rio Olympics, China’s Jike Zhang and Japan’s Jun Mizutani, are both entered.

22 countries will be represented at the event, which is part of the ITTF’s prestigious World Tour. It’s the first time Australia has been included on the tour, and the biggest table tennis event to be held in Australia since the Sydney Olympics.

It’s expected to attract a global television audience of 80 million, and will be played at the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre.

Australia will also be well represented at the event, with five-time Olympian Jian Fang Lay seeded 16^th in the women’s draw, and Rio Olympian David Powell seeded 16^th in the men’s draw.

“Even before we knew who was coming to play at this competition we were pretty excited to be hosting a Platinum World Tour event,” Table Tennis Australia CEO, Peter Marriott, said.

“And now we have confirmed some of the very best players in the world will be here. This is going to be such a fantastic opportunity for Australian sport fans to see up close how fast and skilful these players are.

“And it will be a great learning experience for our own players, as they prepare for next year’s Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.”

Qualification for next week’s event will be held on Sunday and Monday, with the main draw and finals from the 4^th until the 7^th next week.

Tickets for all days are still available and can be purchased online at Ticketek.