News Flash – Draws Released, Gold Coast Awaits

No less than 28 of Australia’s best players will converge at the Gold Coast Table Tennis Association from 11-14 January 2018 to vie for a coveted position on the Commonwealth Games Team.

The top 6 ranked eligible players receive direct entry to the Main Round Robin Draw. The players who’ve earned these prized positions are:
Women: Jian Fang Lay, Miao Miao, Melissa Tapper, Tracy Feng, Michelle Bromley, Kai Peng.
Men: Heming Hu, Chris Yan, Kane Townsend, David Powell, Trent Carter, Wade Townsend.

The final 2 positions in the Main Round Robin Draw will be decided through a Knock Out Qualification Round. A host of rising stars will fight it out in a bid to keep their dream alive. 

National Team stalwarts Jian Fang Lay and Miao Miao will be attempting to qualify for a record fifth consecutive Commonwealth Games. The only other female with Commonwealth or Olympic Games experience is Melissa Tapper, the Victorian lefty will be looking to back up her 2014 Commonwealth Games appearance. A notable omission is Olympic and Commonwealth Games representative Sally Zhang. After giving birth less than three months ago, time has been against Zhang preparing and she has decided not to compete. 

In the Men’s Draw, Heming Hu, Chris Yan, Kane Townsend and David Powell were all part of the 2014 Commonwealth Games team and will no doubt be looking to use their experience to qualify again. Former Oceania Champion Trent Carter will be trying to capitalise on his strong return to the sport in recent times and claim a spot.

Both the men’s and women’s draws look extremely even and all spots on the team look wide open. It will surely be a case of who takes their chances and who handles the pressure the best that will make the difference. 

Click on the links below for the draws and schedule.

What is the Tournament Structure?
- 8 athletes per gender will be admitted to the Main Round Robin Draw.
- The Main Round Robin Draw is made up of the top 6 ranked eligible players, plus 2 athletes who win their way through the Knock Out Qualification Round.
- All 8 athletes compete in ‘Round Robin 1’, where everyone plays everyone once.
- The athletes who finish in the first two places after Round Robin 1 will be deemed to have finished first and second and will not have to participate in ‘Round Robin 2’.
- The athlete who finishes last in Round Robin 1 will be eliminated and will not be able to compete in Round Robin 2.
- The remaining 5 athletes will compete in Round Robin 2, where everyone plays everyone once again. The results between the 5 athletes from Round Robin 1 will be carried forward into Round Robin 2.
- The athletes who finish in the first three places after Round Robin 2 will be deemed to have finished third, fourth and fifth overall.
- NOTE: The National Selection Panel have the final determination in relation to nominating the fifth player to the team.
- All matches are best of 7 games.

Following the Qualification Tournament, TTA will nominate the 5 men and 5 women to Commonwealth Games Australia for selection into the Commonwealth Games Team.