(by Steve Hopkins)
Fan Zhendong and Wang Chuqin hold their dominant No.1 and No.2 positions in the latest World Rankings. Ma long is safely in third, but since players can achieve as many as 1500 points with a single WTT event, Harimoto (No. 4), Calderano (No.5) , and Jingkun (No. 6) are potentially within reach. Lin Gaoyuan, Jang Woojin, Lin Yun-Ju, and Dimitrij Ovtcharov round out the Top 10.
The only movement in the Top 20 this week was Mattias Falck, who jumped up from No. 24 to No. 18 after winning the WTT Contender in Rio last weekend. At No. 18 Falck is now the second ranked Swedish player behind Truls Moregard (No. 14), and his only trailing by 155 points. Another interesting rivalry is between the French Lebron brothers who are only 100 points apart. Felix Lebrun is No. 15, and older brother Alexis Lebrun is No. 19. Other movers of note: Korea’s Cho Seungmin jumped 8 spots to No. 30, and Sora Matsushima (who finished second to Falck in Rio) jumped 83 spots to No. 51.
China holds seven spots in the Women’s Top 20. They hold the top six positions (Sun, Chen, Chen, Wang, Wang, Qian) and they hold No. 16 (Zhang Rui). Japan is also dominant with four positions (Hayata at 7, Ito and 8, Hirano at No. 14, and Harimoto at 17). Germany is the only other country with more than one player in the Top 20 – with Yang Han at No. 10 and Nina Mittelham at No. 19. Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz is now at No. 13. USA’s Lily Zhang is at No. 27 (Amy Wang is at No. 70 and Sarah Jalli at No. 89).
Visit ButterflyOnline.com for the latest table tennis news and results.