MA Long Country China Qualification World Champion World Rank 1 Seed 1 Age 29 Best WC Result Champion (2015, 2012) Achievements 2016 Olympic Champion, 2015 & 2017 World Champion, World Tour Grand Finals Champion (2008, 2009, 2011, 2015 & 2016) Short description Nicknamed Captain Long, Ma achieved the Grand Slam after winning the Men s Singles title at the Rio Olympics. Ma also became the first male player to defend his Men s Singles title at the Chinese National Games in August. #ITTFWorldCup Page 2
Dimitrij OVTCHAROV Country Germany Qualification European Cup Champion World Rank 4 Seed 2 Age 29 Best WC Result 3rd place (2015) Achievements 2012 Olympic Singles Bronze medalist, 2014, 2015 & 2017 European Cup Champion, 3 World Tour titles in 2017 (India, China, Bulgaria), 2013 & 2015 European Champion Short description Ovtcharov became the first player to win the European Cup on 3 occasions. 2017 has also been a good year for Ovtcharov, as he collected 3 ITTF World Tour titles this year, winning in India, China and Bulgaria. #ITTFWorldCup Page 3
Timo BOLL Country Germany Qualification Europe Cup 5-8th place World Rank 5 Seed 3 Age 36 Best WC Result Champion (2005, 2002) Style of Play Attack / Left / Shakehand Achievements 6 times European Champion, Olympic Team Silver (2008) and Bronze (2012, 2016) Short description Plagued by a series of injuries in 2015, Boll proved himself as one of the top European players by qualifying for the Rio Olympic Games after a knee surgery. #ITTFWorldCup Page 4
Jun MIZUTANI Country Japan Qualification Asian Cup 5-8th place World Rank 7 Seed 4 Age 28 Best WC Result 4th place (2010, 2011, 2014 & 2015) Style of Play Attack / Left / Shakehand Achievements 2016 Olympic Bronze, 2010 & 2014 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals Champion, 9 times Japanese National Champion Short description Mizutani became the first Japanese table tennis player to win an Olympic singles medal when he won a bronze medal in Rio last year. #ITTFWorldCup Page 5
Koki NIWA Country Japan Qualification Asian Cup 5-8th place World Rank 8 Seed 5 Age 23 Best WC Result Quarterfinalist (2015) Style of Play Attack / Left / Shakehand Achievements 2016 Olympic Team Silver, 2011 World Junior Champion, 2010 Youth Olympic Games Champion Short description Crowned World Junior Champion and Youth Olympic Champion, Niwa has proved himself as one of the top players in the world by being consistently ranked in the Top 10. #ITTFWorldCup Page 6
LIN Gaoyuan Country China Qualification Asian Cup Champion World Rank 9 Seed 6 Age 22 Best WC Result - Style of Play Attack / Left / Shakehand Achievements 2017 Asian Cup Champion, Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Hybiome Austrian Open Champion Short description Lin won his first major title of his career by winning the 2017 Asian Cup last month, beating world number 2 Fan Zhendong in the finals. One week later, he won his first World Tour title at the Austrian Open. #ITTFWorldCup Page 7
Simon GAUZY Country France Qualification European Cup 3rd place World Rank 13 Seed 7 Age 22 Best WC Result Round of 16 (2016) Achievements 2017 European Cup Bronze, 2016 European Championships Silver, Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Australian Open Silver Short description Gauzy had a breakthrough year in 2016 as he beat Timo Boll and reached the finals for the first time at the European Championships. Gauzy also reached his first ever final of the ITTF World Tour at the Australian Open this year. #ITTFWorldCup Page 8
CHUANG Chih-Yuan Country Chinese Taipei Qualification Asian Cup 5-8th place World Rank 15 Seed 8 Age 36 Best WC Result Quarterfinalist (2006, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) Achievements 2002 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals Champion, 2013 Men s Doubles Short description The 2017 edition wtill be Chuang s 15th appearance in the Men s World Cup. #ITTFWorldCup Page 9
LEE Sangsu Country Korea Republic Qualification Asian Cup 3rd place World Rank 16 Seed 9 Age 27 Best WC Result Quarterfinalist (2016) Achievements 2017 Asian Cup Bronze, 2017 World Championships Bronze Short description At the World Championships in May this year, Lee caused a huge upset by beating Grand Slam Champion Zhang Jike and went on to win the Bronze medal in the Men s Singles. #ITTFWorldCup Page 10
Marcos FREITAS Country Portugal Qualification Wild Card World Rank 19 Seed 10 Age 29 Best WC Result Quarterfinalist (2015) Style of Play Attack / Left / Shakehand Achievements 2017 Swiss Open Cup Champion, 2015 European Championships Silver, 2015 European Games Team Champion, 2014 European Team Champion Short description Top player in the Portuguese team, Freitas has led the Portuguese team to Gold at the 2014 European Championships and claiming the first team title at the inaugural European Games in 2015. #ITTFWorldCup Page 11
Omar ASSAR Country Egypt Qualification African Cup 2nd place World Rank 21 Seed 11 Age 26 Best WC Result Round of 16 (2015) Achievements 2017 Nigeria Open Champion, 2016 African Champion Short description Egypt s top player over the past few years, Assar is now playing in the German Bundesliga representing SV Werder Bremen. #ITTFWorldCup Page 12
CHEN Chien-An Country Chinese Taipei Qualification Asian Cup 4th place World Rank 33 Seed 12 Age 26 Best WC Result Round of 16 (2014) Style of Play Attack / Left / Shakehand Achievements 2017 World Championships Mixed Doubles Silver, 2013 World Championships Men s Doubles Champion Short description In 2013, Chen was crowned World Champion in the doubles event with Chuang Chih-Yuan, bringing home the first World Championships title ever for Chinese Taipei. This year at the World Championships with mixed doubles partner Cheng I-Ching, Chen and Cheng was one foot away from bringing the Mixed Doubles World Champion title for Chinese Taipei. #ITTFWorldCup Page 13
KOU Lei Country Ukraine Qualification Europe Cup 4th place World Rank 34 Seed 13 Age 29 Best WC Result - Achievements 2017 Europe Cup 4th Place, 2015 European Games Bronze Short description Two time Olympian Kou will only be making his Men s World Cup debut this year in Liege. #ITTFWorldCup Page 14
JEONG Sangeun Country Korea Republic Qualification Asian Cup 5-8th place World Rank 36 Seed 14 Age 27 Best WC Result - Achievements 2017 Asian Championships Silver Short description At the 2017 Asian Championships in April, Jeong caused a massive upset by beating Olympic and World Champion Ma Long and eventually taking the silver medal after losing to world number 2 Fan Zhendong in the final. Jeong also led the Korea team to a second place finish in the team event. #ITTFWorldCup Page 15
Quadri ARUNA Country Nigeria Qualification Africa Cup Champion World Rank 36 Seed 15 Age 29 Best WC Result Quarterfinalist (2014) Achievements 2017 ITTF Challenge Polish Open Champion, 2017 African Cup Champion, 2016 Olympic Games Quarterfinalist Short description Aruna became the first African player to reach the quarterfinal at the Olympic Games, after beating several top players like Timo Boll and Chuang Chih-Yuan. Aruna won his first ITTF Challenge Series Champion at the 2017 Polish Open. Aruna was the biggest winner at the 2014 ITTF Star Awards, winning both the 2014 ITTF Male Table Tennis Star and the 2014 Star Point awards. #ITTFWorldCup Page 16
Alexander SHIBAEV Country Russia Qualification Europe Cup 2nd place World Rank 41 Seed 16 Age 27 Best WC Result Qualifications (2016) Achievements 2017 Europe Cup Silver Short description Exceeding expectations, Shibaev reached the final of the 2017 Europe Cup for the first time. #ITTFWorldCup Page 17
Cedric NUYTINCK Country Belgium Qualification Host World Rank 71 Seed 17 Age 24 Best WC Result - Style of Play Attack / Left / Shakehand Achievements 2016 World Tour Grand Finals Doubles Quarterfinalist Short description One of Belgium s top stars, Nuytinck will be making his World Cup debut on home soil as the host representative. Together with partner Robin Devos, Nuytinck is ranked 8th on the 2017 ITTF World Tour Men s Doubles Standing. #ITTFWorldCup Page 18
Gustavo TSUBOI Country Brazil Qualification Pan Am Cup Champion World Rank 112 Seed 18 Age 33 Best WC Result Quarterfinalist (2015) Style of Play Attack / Left / Shakehand Achievements 2017 Pan American Cup Champion, 2 times Latin American Cup Champion Short description Besides winning the Pan American Cup, Tsuboi also won the 2017 Brazil Open Doubles title with Hugo Calderano. #ITTFWorldCup Page 19
Kanak JHA Country USA Qualification Pan Am Cup Qualifier World Rank 228 Seed 19 Age 17 Best WC Result Qualifications (2014) Achievements 2014 North American Cup Champion Short description Kanak became the youngest winner of the North America Cup, when he won the event at 14 years old to qualify for his first World Cup. Kanak was also the youngest member of the USA Olympic contigent in Rio last year. #ITTFWorldCup Page 20
David POWELL Country Australia Qualification Oceania Cup Champion World Rank 339 Seed 20 Age 26 Best WC Result Qualifications (2016) Achievements Two times Oceania Cup Champion Short description Powell is a full time Mathematician teacher, and is also part of the ITTF Athletes Commission. #ITTFWorldCup Page 21