China’s head coach Liu Guoliang announced in an interview with Chinese media that not only will the shakehand Vs Penhold challenge take place this year but that the line-up will include Germany’s star players Timo Boll and Dimitrij Ovtcharov.

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Timo Boll (Left) & Dimitrij Ovtcharov (Right) Photo by: Friso Gentsch AP

The last shakehand Vs penhold challenge was held back in 2011, on this occasion the team was selected by fans and the players that competed in the shakehand team consisted of Zhang Jike, Ma Long and Timo Boll meanwhile the penhold team consisted of Ma Lin, Wang Hao and Ryu Seungmin.

This time round the teams will be slightly different with Dimitrij Ovtcharov replacing Ma Long and joining teammate Timo Boll and current World champion Zhang Jike in the shakehand team, the penhold team however will yet again be made up entirely from Chinese players these include Wang Hao, Ma Lin and Xu Xin.

Timo Boll didn’t have a fantastic performance back in 2011 as he was defeated in three straight sets in his first match by Ma Lin which was then followed by him being defeated by Wang Hao three sets to one in his second match. Boll commented on the fact that he feels his game was affected by the fact that he arrived in China and competed on the same day.

This will not be a problem for the European champion this time as he is to arrive in China to compete in the 2013 China Open ITTF World Tour which is to be held in Changchun between the 12th and 16th June, meaning he will have plenty of preparation for the shakehand Vs penhold challenge which will commence on the 18th June in Jiangsu.

Are you ready!? :)

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Source: TableTennisTa & sina.sports.com.cn
Written by: Emily Standing
TableTennisDaily
 
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