Top Step of Podium in Tokyo, Liu Shiwen Returns to Top of Standings

Courtesy of ITTF

Success in Tokyo on Sunday June 19th, China’s Liu Shiwen returns to the top of the ITTF World Tour Women’s Singles Standings (1,100 points); formerly in third spot, she replaces Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa in first place.

Colleague, Ding Ning, the beaten finalist remains in second place (900 points) with Kasumi Ishikawa (656 points) and China’s Li Xiaoxia (600 points) the next in line.

Zhu Yuling, likewise from China who beat Li Xiaoxia at the quarterfinal stage of the Women’s Singles event in Tokyo before losing to Liu Shiwen, climbs one place to no.8 (500 points). She is immediately above Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching, who following her surprise semi-final appearance in Tokyo, climbs from no.15 to no.9 (425 points).

Fan Zhendong
Notable progress for Liu Shiwen, on the Men’s Singles Standings it is the same for Fan Zhendong, the winner in Japan. He moves from no.5 to no.2 (1,000 points) and is now level with compatriot Zhang Jike, the player beat in the penultimate round in Tokyo.

Three steps higher for Fan Zhendong, it is the same for colleague, Xu Xin, the player Fan Zhendong beat in the Tokyo final. He moves from no.8 to no.3 (713 points) and is now one position below Japan’s Jun Mizutani who drops one place to no.4 (713 points).

Ma Long, beaten by compatriot, Xu Xin in Tokyo at the semi-final stage continues to lead the listing (1,500 points).

Major Progress
Meanwhile, following their successes in Japan, Ma Long and Xu Xin move from no.41 to no.6 on the Men’s Doubles Standings; on the counterpart Women’s Doubles Standings Ding Ning and Li Xiaoxia enter at no.3 (300 points).

Runners up in Tokyo, Chuang Chih-Yuan and Huang Sheng-Sheng advance from no.6 to no.2 on the Men’s Doubles Standings (426 points), one place behind Japan’s Masataka Morizono and Yuya Oshima who remain in top spot (594 points).

Continue in Lead
Likewise, on the Women’s Doubles Standings, top spot remains the same.

Korea’s Jeon Jihee and Yang Haeun remain at the helm (819 points); Liu Shiwen and Zhu Yuling, the runners up in Tokyo enter the list at no.12 (150 points).

Similar Manner
In a similar manner Hong Kong’s Ho Kwan Kit remains in top spot on the Under 21 Men’s Singles Standings (568 points); however, on the Under 21 Women’s Singles Standings there is a new leader.

Singapore’s Zeng Jian who beat Japan’s Yui Hamamoto in the Tokyo final advances from no.3 to no.1 (864 points); Hina Hayata, also from Japan, drops one place no.2 (800 points). Yui Hamamoto is now one place higher than previously, she is at no.3 (657 points).

On the Under 21 Men’s Singles Standings, the Japanese duo of Tomokazu Harimoto and Kohei Sambe, the finalists in Tokyo, both make notable progress.

Tomokazu Harimoto, the winner, moves from no.54 to no.6 (319 points), Kohei Sambe from no.14 to no.7 (288 points).

Next Stop Incheon
Proceedings concluded in Tokyo; attention now turns to Incheon. The 2016 ITTF World Tour Korean Open begins on Wednesday June 22nd.