The draw for the first stage of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Mixed Team World Cup was held in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Sunday.
A total of 18 teams, set to compete in the tournament with an innovative mixed team format from December 4 to 10, have been divided into four groups, with the winner and runner-up of each group advancing to the second stage.
Draw for the first stage of the ITTF Mixed Team World Cup. /CFP
In the second stage, the top eight teams will be grouped into a single group. Results from the first stage will be carried over, meaning that teams that faced each other earlier in the week won't compete with each other again.
Under the new format, matches will begin with mixed doubles, followed by women's singles and men's singles, while players who played mixed doubles will be barred from the singles matches.
The trophy of the ITTF Mixed Team World Cup in Chengdu, China, December 4, 2023. /CFP
Team China sent top players to the competition.
Male: Fan Zhendong, Wang Chuqin, Ma Long, and Lin Gaoyuan.
Female: Sun Yingsha, Chen Meng, Wang Manyu and Wang Yidi.
"I'm very happy to attend this important event for this innovative new format. I hope I can make great achievements together with our team China," said men's world No.1 Fan Zhendong.
(With input from Xinhua)