So now it's official.  China's table tennis magician are sending their very best of the best onto the ITTF Pro Tour tournament (21 – 25 September) at the Werner Schlager Academy in the Multiversum in Schwechat.

 

Each table tennis fan clucks his tongue while reading the entry list.

 

 

 

China sends . . .

 

Wang Hao: The current world number one ranked.  Men's world champion in 2009, Olympic silver medalist in 2008, men's singles vice-champion in 2011 and multiple world champion team medals.

 

Ma Long: The current world number two ranked.  For the entire year of 2010, he was world number one, and finished that way this year at the World Championships in Rotterdam and is considered one of the three world or Olympic champions of tomorrow.

 

Zhang Jike: The current world number four ranked.  In Rotterdam, became the men's world champion!  He has to take his chances with a tournament victory in Schwechat to gain points to move up the ITTF rankings.

 

Ma Lin: The current world number five ranked.  In 2008, he landed the big coup by becoming the Olympic men's champion!  He is one of the “evergreens,” as he was the silver medalist in Eindhoven in 1999 at the world championships (when Werner Schlager finished third).

 

Xu Xin and Hao Shuai: The current world number nine and 18.  They are regarded as major stars of tomorrow and already have been among the greats of the scene now.

 

Li Xiaoxia: The current women's world number one.  She was the runner-up in the women's singles in Rotterdam and plays a “male-like” power table tennis game.

 

Ding Ning:  The current women's world number three.  She has the most unusual serves and in Rotterdam attained the Gold in the women's singles.

 

Liu Shiwen: Just behind Ding Ning in the rankings at number two in the Under-21 world rankings, as well as number six in the ITTF women's world rankings.  She has already been ranked number one in the world.  In Rotterdam, she lost in the semifinal of the women's singles to the eventual champion Ding Ning.

 

Wu Yang: The current women's world number nine and Fan Ying at world number 15.  The best defensive players in the world, they are even challenging against the men.  Fan Ying plays this season for SVS STRÖCK and on Monday, 3^rd October (19:30 in the WSA Hall) they hold their Champions League debut as the Austria champion against Gumotex Breclav.