Men's World Cup 2015

[NextLevel]

The rules for 2012 had players qualifying by world ranking first with two spots per country up to the top 20 players or so based on the May 2011 world ranking list (post WTTC). Then players were sent to trials if they didn't meet this criteria. Total by any criteria is 3 and as Carl pointed out, the qualification order is strict.

Priority has now been given to qualification events with world ranking as the emergency criterion. I don't believe Asia has has any qualification events yet but I think every other continent has seen at least one.

 

[SchemeSC]

So Jim Butler will play William Henzell in the prelims? Is that correct?

Edit: No, that's probably wrong. I'm dumb.

 

[Joshy]

I have the feeling fan zhendong will win. Ma long was hurt at the asian championships so he could not participate. The chinese national games where he wa kicked out in the 1/8 final, showed that he's not in his best form. But fan zhendong is, he won the asian championships for example. Ether Ma long won a lot of their last matches i thing fan zhendong will win. And even if Mizutani Ovtcharov or Freitas are in a very good mood the two chineses are simply too strong

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

The rules for 2012 had players qualifying by world ranking first with two spots per country up to the top 20 players or so based on the May 2011 world ranking list (post WTTC). Then players were sent to trials if they didn't meet this criteria. Total by any criteria is 3 and as Carl pointed out, the qualification order is strict.

Priority has now been given to qualification events with world ranking as the emergency criterion. I don't believe Asia has has any qualification events yet but I think every other continent has seen at least one.

Yep. There you go. The world ranking thing was for players in the top 28. I am not sure how they came up with that number. But that was it.

Most countries don't have as many people who really "should" be allowed to play in the men's singles event. For instance: Germany's top two back then were 1) Timo and 2) Dima.

And so the two obvious choices for Germany were the two who qualified 1 and 2.

For China, at the time of the World Rankings in May 2011, Ma Long was #5 (WR) and I believe he was #4 from China: Wang Hao, Zhang Jike and Ma Lin were all higher on the world rankings than Ma Long because Ma Long was coming back from an injury.


Sent from Godric'sHollow using the ResurrectionStone

 

[brabhamista]

Here are a bunch of pictures from the warm-ups from a big Swedish blog. Enjoy
http://pingisfan.se/world-cup-i-bilder/

 

[sayed7ea]

Good Luck for Omar Assar. I hope he will do a good performance and can qualify. His problem is psychological he loses his tempo quickly after some lucky balls. Also he is playing in an aggressive manner all the time, even when not needed.

About the expectation of the winner; I don't think we are going to see a lot of surprise. So he will be 1st seed Ma Long.

 

[Suga D]

Here is Jim Butler in 1996 vs Waldner:

His story is a great one. In the early 1990s be was a top player. Around 2000 he had some health issue and debilitating pain that stopped him from being able to play. I believe it was from a back injury. Over the last three years he has made a big and almost impossible comeback.

I believe he qualified for the World Cup by winning this tournament:

I have seen some footage from 1992 where he looked amazing and had one of the best backhands of that time. The next time I am at a computer I will see if I can find better footage. But, hopefully, this answers your question. He actually won an event that qualified him to play in the World Cup. And being in his 40s alone would make it pretty impressive. But add the recover from injury after being told he would never play again adds to that.

Does he have a chance of advancing past the first round? Probably not. But still, he did earn his spot.


Sent from Godric'sHollow using the ResurrectionStone

Impressive comeback! Inspiring...
Teaches to neva give up on your dream. I like this.

 

[Suga D]

Here are a bunch of pictures from the warm-ups from a big Swedish blog. Enjoy
http://pingisfan.se/world-cup-i-bilder/

Beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing.

 

[NextLevel]

Carl, don't tell me that you mixed up the 2015 NA Cup with the 2014 US Nationals...

This is what Jim actually won:

http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Table-Tennis/Events/2015/May/15/2015-North-American-Cup

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Carl, don't tell me that you mixed up the 2015 NA Cup with the 2014 US Nationals...

This is what Jim actually won:

http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Table-Tennis/Events/2015/May/15/2015-North-American-Cup

Sometimes my ResurrectionStone has beer goggles. Time flies. In fact, I can't believe it's almost Easter again!!!!

At least people get to see more good competitive play from Jimmy Jim Butler.

When I get to my computer I will look for good footage of what he played like in the 1990s 'cause he really was fun to watch.


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[brabhamista]

And... we're off!

Anton Källberg vs Robert Gardos and Panagiotis Gionis vs Jimmy Butler is about to start right now

 

[mr. tom]

Do they get money just to participate?

 

[castaway2020]

how many players will qualify from each group ? one or two ?

 

[Sali]

anybody have the idea what happened in the last set with apolonia ang assar?

 

[JeffM]

how many players will qualify from each group ? one or two ?

Two players

 

[Dan]

Anyone see the dispute going on between Tiago Apolonia and Omar Assar's game? What was going on there? Looked really intense when I tuned in.

 

[JeffM]

anybody have the idea what happened in the last set with apolonia ang assar?

Just as I went onto the channel, I watched the bit where Apolonia's voice was very clear as he said to the empire something in the lines of: This is what Table tennis is like. But I also want to know what happened previously causing the disharmony, and later on, no handshake with umpires.
The umpire also warned Apolonia about not tossing his serve high enough very early in the first set, so i suspect maybe something that built up from that?

 

[Sali]

I think something happened at the beginning of the set when apolonia was waiting for his towel and had discussion with the referee. But I never suspect he can win it. He was loosing 4:8 and then took 7 points in a row.

 

[silvershamaa]

Take a look at this: A 3-way tie between players of group 2, maybe they'll use points to determine who qualifies?

http://www.ittf.com/competitions/test/_groups_matches_1.asp?Event_Type=MSP&Competition_ID=2596&rnd=

 

[sayed7ea]

Apolonia was angry because the umpire called his serve illegal so he lost a point. Apolonia played the serve many times to the umpire and asked if it was correct or not.
Anyone know what will happen in Group 2 after the draw?