Road to Tokyo 2020: Chinese TT Team

Originally Posted by MaLin2.0

What are LSW chances of playing in singles at Tokyo 2020 considering?

1, Mima just added more points with Hungarian Open win
2, Asian Championships might be further postponed due to virus outbreak
3, Future events in South Korea, China, Hong Kong possibly in doubt due to virus, so catching Mima in rankings possibility might not happen
4, Might not get chance to play Mima prior to Tokyo 2020
5, new rule for Olympics, players in same association will not be separated, surely CNT would prefer their players on opposite ends

Do you still go with LSW or re-thinking now?

Now it’s hard to say ....Too many uncertainties ....For example, will WTTTC be postponed or not ...And really 4 months ahead ....
ITTF Rating:
3/2020 - Ito 15080 , LSW 14400
when calculating the ITTF rating for April - Ito has no deductions, LSW - (-1800)
Even if LSW wins Qatar Open, she will not catch up with Mima Ito ....
(This does not include WTTTC !)

Oh,yes....

LSW withdrew from Qatar Open. Her chance of playing singles is no better than SYS or DN. To me, CM has the upper hand at the moment.

The way it’s going at Qatar Open, the P tplayer is for WCQ’s to lose. LGY is practically out and LJK is hanging on a thread. Would be interesting to see how LJK and WCQ fight it out tomorrow.
CM looks like a de facto singles player at the moment and SYS the fourth player. LSW and DN will fight for the second spot. If DN beat Ito again, DN will have a upper hand. Have to give credit to DN who keeps fighting on.

Originally Posted by Free bird

The way it’s going at Qatar Open, the P tplayer is for WCQ’s to lose. LGY is practically out and LJK is hanging on a thread. Would be interesting to see how LJK and WCQ fight it out tomorrow.
CM looks like a de facto singles player at the moment and SYS the fourth player. LSW and DN will fight for the second spot. If DN beat Ito again, DN will have a upper hand. Have to give credit to DN who keeps fighting on.

That really does look like the safer option CM & DN rather than LSW

Well, the ink is still wet and DN just handed me a slap in the face. Way to go the queen of hearts

Heard a rumour from my friend, source not reliable, possible opinion

CM has been told by CNT coaches, win tonight and your going to Tokyo 2020 and we will hold your opinion highly on who should join you, wouldn't be surprised if that is true

DN’s loss is reminiscent of ZYL’s devastating loss. ZYL never recovered and Unfortunately the same fate awaits DN. If CM can’t beat Ito tomorrow, LGL’s hair would turn into QZJ’s in no time. The possibility of losing both women’s single and XD gold metals has never been so real.

Now the Qatar Open is over, the selection decision should become easier. FZD and ML play singles, XX team and XD, and WCQ is the fourth player. Women: CM and LSW play singles, DN team event, and SYS the fourth player.
The prediction stated in my first post in this thread is pretty much reinforced so far.
Wide forehand vulnerability is still XX’s Achilles heel when it comes to singles play. Yes, XX has improved his backhand a lot, but it’s not that trivial to change one’s overall playing style.
SYS is in kinda slump as of late. Heard she is likely to get a new coach soon.

Originally Posted by Free bird

Now the Qatar Open is over, the selection decision should become easier. FZD and ML play singles, XX team and XD, and WCQ is the fourth player. Women: CM and LSW play singles, DN team event, and SYS the fourth player.
The prediction stated in my first post in this thread is pretty much reinforced so far.
Wide forehand vulnerability is still XX’s Achilles heel when it comes to singles play. Yes, XX has improved his backhand a lot, but it’s not that trivial to change one’s overall playing style.
SYS is in kinda slump as of late. Heard she is likely to get a new coach soon.

I agree with you but I would swap CM with DN, I still think that CNT will choose her to play the singles.

Originally Posted by TTLOVE

I agree with you but I would swap CM with DN, I still think that CNT will choose her to play the singles.

You must be a covert Mima fan
Joking aside, how do you manage to come up with this swap idea after all those happenings at Qatar Open?

The team will revolve around Liu Shiwen. I'm not saying that she will play Singles for sure but she's the only player who is confirmed for the Olympics thus far so the other two players will have to demonstrate some degree of compatibility with her for Doubles. She might not play doubles for all the team matches but she will be counted upon for the more difficult matches for sure.

Originally Posted by Free bird

You must be a covert Mima fan
Joking aside, how do you manage to come up with this swap idea after all those happenings at Qatar Open?

For the cnt the defeats in the pro tour don't count. Yes DN this time has lost to ito but a mounth ago during german open the result was the opposite. CNT look for result in BIG EVENTS, DN won the OG and 2017 WTTC. Unless she's heavily injuried she will play the tokyo OG. Moreover, the Chinese are convinced that they are superior to all their opponents. Even though ding ning has lost a few times to Ito, the national team coaches are convinced that she will not lose in the olympics. The coaches will give her all the support she needs to win.
This situation has already occurred in the past with Zhang Jike in OG 2016

Originally Posted by Free bird

You must be a covert Mima fan
Joking aside, how do you manage to come up with this swap idea after all those happenings at Qatar Open?

I wonder what did guys with your arguments thought when DN beat Ito last month? Or what will you think if she beats her once before Olympics?
If coaches were short sighted like you, their line-up would literally change after every open. The most important one would then be the last tournament before OG/line-up annoucement. Which I'm sure you will agree is bullshit.

Originally Posted by Hysteresis

Pretty much this.

Chances are the singles and XD spots at least have been already decided by the coaching staff weeks or even months ago. They are likely only going to be making adjustments around debilitating injuries, and maybe some wiggle room on team and substitute slots. To only decide who's doing what for an Olympics just a few months before would be wildly irresponsible compared to how the CNT usually approaches these things.

They are more likely to be working around what, strategically, they should do do beat Ito, rather than who they are going to put up to beat her.

You have an opinion on how the team will look like for Tokyo games?