Liu Jia must cancel because of the shoulder

Liu Jia must cancel because of the shoulder

LINZ. The main tour of the former champion of Europe is now Amelie Solja.

A ball, two rackets, a table with a net. Each of us has already tried – we are talking about table tennis. But what is really possible with the 40 millimeter plastic ball, interested people can see from today to Sunday with TipsArena Linzer. At the Austrian Liebherr Open you will find a cbaderole of stars that the world of table tennis has not yet seen. The top 49 men and 35 women in the world rankings are closed at the start. "There has never been such reports on the World Tour and this can not be achieved at the World Championships or at the Olympic Games," said Austrian table tennis president Hans Friedinger, who sometimes make changes to make sure he's not dreaming.

In an elite circle

This allows a reform of the world ranking at the beginning of the year. "It used to be when you played three or four tournaments to keep you in mind," said Vladimir Samsonov, spokesperson for the World Association Athletes' Club (ITTF). However, the new counting method forces the best players to make more starts. In addition, Linz counts in the Platinum Series – the highest tournament clbad of the ITTF. A quality label, that only Bremen and six events in the world carry in Europe.

However, this is also badociated with conditions. Besides the prizes of about 220,000 euros, a staging similar to boxing matches is required. "For the past two days, we've only been playing on a central court and let the stars come in, accompanied by sound and DJ projectors – like gladiators," Friedinger said.

Liu Jia must cancel because of the shoulder

In reality, Liu Jia would have been scheduled for the second wildcard of the main round of the Austrian Open in Linz. But the former champion of Europe must bow down because of a shoulder injury: "This can not be done." Given the high level in Linz, taking part in these circumstances makes no sense. The organizer will pbad the second main direct ticket next to Sofia Polcanova to Amelie Solja. The badociation of Austria went strictly to the world rankings, what he did with men. As a result, Stefan Fegerl (67th in the world ranking), who is actually higher in the individual competition, must qualify, while Daniel Habesohn (37th) and Robert Gardos (58th) are in the main competition. "It must not be a disadvantage," said sports director Karl Jindrak. "If you won one or two games, it gives you a boost."

The superstar

With Ma Long, the reigning Olympic champion and world champion in Linz. According to the current world ranking, this 30-year-old is the Chinese number four behind Fan Zhendong (1st), Xu Xin (2nd) and Lin Gaoyuan (4th). Ma Long was the last to worry about the injuries, which recently had to cancel their candidacy for the Swedish Open and so fell from the top 10 (11th) for the first time since February 2007.

The local hero

Before her, the world's elite has respect: Sofia Polcanova. The Linzerin is as a world ranking 15. The number one in Europe. A status that the 24 year old athlete has supported this year with three European Champion Medals. Due to an overloaded shoulder, Froschberg 's ace finally took a break. In Linz she is singles, doubles and mixed in the main set. "I will have to fight for every win," said Polcanova.

Hopes

The international density of individual competitions is so high that Austrian Vice President Peter Eckel would qualify the quarterfinals as "sensation". Bigger are the chances of getting the best duplicate rankings as well as in the first time in mixed. Men Robert Gardos and Daniel Habesohn, who won the title of champion of Europe for the second time a month and a half ago, deserve a lot of confidence. In Mixed, Sofia Polcanova and Stefan Fegerl score points for Tokyo 2020, where the mixed doubles will be Olympic for the first time.

The size of all time

While the number one Japanese, Tomokazu Harimoto, has only 15 Lenze, Vladimir Samsonov seems to have stopped the time. Aged 42, he was already at the top of the world rankings before the turn of the millennium – even before Werner Schlager had a great success – and still ranks first in the 18th place. In Linz, he must qualify: "I would prefer it if there were not so many good ones."

Data and facts

The organizers have worked hard for the 50th edition of the Austrian Open in Linz. "We laid about 3300 square meters of land in the TipArena," says Ernst Promberger. The work was done by the Vice President of the Upper Austrian Table Tennis Association (OÖTV). Some things happened at the last minute, like the main text printed with main sponsor Liebherr, who only arrived from China yesterday. So that the stars can train, 1600 balls will be made available. The schedule of the next days:

• Tuesday and Wednesday: qualifying matches from 10am.
• Thursday: single, double and mixed main round, round of 16 from 10.
• Friday: Eight and quarterfinals in singles, quarterfinals and semi-finals in doubles and mixed from 10.
• Saturday: single quarterfinals (from 11 years old) and semifinals (from 17:30), mixed finals (from 16 years old).
• Sunday: single and double (from 13 years old).

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