ITTF TEAM WORLD CUP IN LONDON - CULMINATION DAYS

USPA NEWS - The ITTF TEAM WORLD CUP Women´s and Men´s Team Finals in London became the culmination of the event, but before that teams went through the 38 matches (19 men and 19 women).
In the first stage, the teams played in four equal groups, with all members of a group playing each other.

In the second stage, the group winners and runners-up competed in knock-out matches: Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, Finals. All the matches were accented with an intensity of competition and sportive excitement “” even 3:0 matches were full of competition; all teams fought to reach the Finals. The level of play was amazing throughout the whole Tournament!

As an example, a host nation´s team “” men´s Team England had a dramatic and quite unpredictable contest in a Quarter-Final Match with Team Brazil (3:2 Doubles, 3:0, 2:3, 3:1). And, if you will look deeper into games scores, you will notice even tougher games´ competitions with scores like 12:14, 11:8, 11:9.

In the Men´s Quarter-Finals there advanced Team Germany, Team China, Team England, Team Brazil, Team Republic of Korea, Team France, Team Hong Kong China and Team Japan.

In the Women´s Quarter-Finals there advanced Team Japan, Team Singapore, Team DPR Korea, Team Chinese Taipei, Team Romania, Team Hong Kong China, Team China and Team USA.

From these matches into Semi-Finals there advanced Team China to compete vs. Team England, Team Japan to compete vs. the Team Republic of Korea in the Men´s Event and Team DPR Korea to compete vs. Team Japan and Team Hong Kong China to compete vs. Team China in the Women´s Event.

And from those matches, into the Finals´s stage went through Team China and Team Japan in the Men´s Division and Team Japan and Team China in the Men´s Division.
The ALL China vs. Japan Finals called much of an intrigue. Teams of Japan seemed to be strong opponents and contenders to the Team CUPs holders “” Teams of China.
In the Women´s Final, only Doubles Match caused one defeat to the Chinese Team “” in the 3rd game HAYATA and ITO beat LIU and DING: 6:11, but as the total result the victory and the TEAM WORLD CUP went to Team China “” 3:0 in matches.

The Men´s Final had a similar trait, in which only one game defeat was caused by Team Japan to Team China: NIVA, Koki beat MA, Long in their second game “” 11:3, but as the final result the victory (3:0) and the Trophy “” TEAM WORLD CUP went to the Chines Team.

Bronze Medals were awarded to Men´s Teams England and Republic of Korea and to Women´s Teams of DPR Korea and Hong Kong, China.

Teams USA as Women´s as the Men´s have shown a very good performance on the TEAMS WORLD CUP 2018. The Women´s team reached the Quarter-Finals stage and only there was knocked out by the reigning WORLD CUP Holder “” Team China. The Men´s Team even though did not advance from the group D stage, indicated decent performance while competing with best Table Tennis Teams of the World: played 1:3 against Hong Kong, China and Kanak Cha won his match against the A-player WONG Chun Ting (#7 WR) with the match score 3:0! Excellent result. “The future is GOOD!“- said to me the Coach of the USA Teams on the ITTF TEAMS WORLD CUP 2018 in London “” Stefan Feth.

Congratulations to all Winners, Runners-Up, Bronze Medalists and participants of this remarkable ITTF Tournament Event. And, of course, THANK YOU LONDON and TABLE TENNIS ENGLAND!