Qualifying Over, Now the World’s Best Will Show Their Skills

Despite some valiant efforts, host-nation Australia was unable to add to the two players already through to the main draw of the $500,000 Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Australian Table Tennis Open, with the opening round to get underway on Tuesday.

Qualifying rounds came to an end on Monday night, and as expected it was players from China, Korea, Japan and Singapore who dominated the proceedings.

Five-time Olympian, Jian Fang Lay, and Rio Olympian, David Powell, will now carry the hopes of Australia as they take on some of the best players in the world in the biggest table tennis event on Australian soil since the Sydney Olympics.

But Australia will have strong representation in the doubles events, including the teaming up of Fang Lay with four-time Olympian, Miao Miao, in the women’s draw, and the pairing of Rio Olympic teammates Heming Hu and Chris Yan in the men’s doubles.

Fang Lay and Miao will be in action in the first game of the day on centre court at 10am, taking on Hsien-Tzu Cheng and Yu-Hsin Liu of Taipei.

History making Australian Olympian and Paralympian, Melissa Tapper, will also be in action at 10am, playing with Michelle Bromley against Korea’s Hyojoo Choi and Yumi Jung.

Hu and Yan play their first doubles match at 1130, against New Zealand’s Zhiyang Cheng and Tengten Liu.

Glasgow Commonwealth Games teammates, David Powell and Kane Townsend, will also take part in the doubles competition, their first match also set down for 1130am.

Jian Fang Lay, aiming next year to compete at her fifth Commonwealth Games, will have her opening singles match at 220pm against Korea’s Eunhye Lee, while Powell will have his opening singles match against Singapore’s Ning Gao at 710pm.