(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT)
There won’t be any easy opponents at the WTT Champions Series event that starts on Tuesday in Chongqing, China. Every player in the top 20 will be competing, and with $800,000 total in prize money at stake, along with 1000 ranking points to the winner, this will be one of the most competitive events of the year.
The draw was posted this weekend, and top seed Lin Shidong will face dangerous Kao Cheng-Jui of Taipei in the first round. Second seeded Wang Chuqin will face Quadri Aruna in their opening round match. USA’s Kanak Jha has drawn Felix Lebrun – a tough match for anyone -but a great chance for Jha to play another top 10 player on another big stage. If the Quarterfinals went by seed, Shidong would face Franziska- both working past Jorgic and Lin Yun-Ju who are in the same fourth of the draw). Jingkun would face Felix Lebrun, provided both avoid Lin Gaoyuan in their fourth of the draw.
Hugo Calderano would face Tomokazu Harimoto by seed, but their fourth of the draw also has Chen Yuanyu, Lee Sang Su, and Dimitrij Ovtcharov. And in what might be the toughest of the four quarters of the draw is Wang Chuqin’s quarter where he has Truls Moregard, Dang Qiu, and Alexis Lebrun.
Reaching the Round of 32 already guarantees a payday of $8,000 and 15 ranking points. Jha already has a lucrative payday and an upcoming jump in the rankings, but a win or two would be momentous. Tune in as we follow the action.
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