CTTA announces selection method for Chinese team to Paris 2024

Fan Zhendong of China serves during the men's singles quarterfinal against Alexis Lebrun of France at the WTT Champions Macao 2023 in Macao, south China, April 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka)

BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA) on Monday announced a series of selection methods for the Chinese team to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Based on the mixed doubles world rankings to be released on May 7, 2024, the highest-ranked Chinese pair will be headed to the Paris Olympics, with the two players in the pair automatically securing their berths in the men's and women's team events.

An Olympic ranking points system will be in place for the singles events, with the Olympic ranking points of a player composing of ITTF world ranking points and respective points that a player has earned from major competitions, including the World Championships, World Cup, Asian Games, Asian Championships, Asian Cup and a part of World Table Tennis tournaments, between May 8, 2023 and May 7, 2024.

Two male and female players each with the highest Olympic ranking points will compete in the singles events in Paris and earn their spots in the men's and women's team events.

Sun Yingsha of China hits a return during the women's singles quarterfinal against Bernadette Szocs of Romania at the WTT Champions Macao 2023 in Macao, south China, April 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka)

If the aforementioned two pathways cannot select three players per gender for the team events, the last spot in the roster will be determined by the coaching group on the basis of a player's Olympic ranking points, style of play, doubles capability and head-to-head performances against major opponents. The process of deciding on the P-card holder, or the alternate in the team event, will adopt the same method.

The CTTA said that collective decision-making will give full play to the wisdom of the coaching group, and choose the most suitable players for the team events.

Wang Chuqin of China serves during the men's singles semifinal against Harimoto Tomokazu of Japan at the WTT Champions Macao 2023 in Macao, south China, April 22, 2023. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka)

Li Sun, chief coach of the Chinese team, attached importance to fairness in the team's roster selection.

"We hope to foster positive atmosphere of contention within our team through the fair and open selection," he commented. "Through this method, hopefully the whole team will accomplish our mission of preparing for the Paris Olympics together."

The Chinese team has arrived in Durban and started their final tune-up ahead of the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals, which takes place in the South African city from May 20 to 28. ■