(by Steve Hopkins)

We are just a matter of hours away from the start of the Dishang 2020 ITTF Men’s World Cup.  The Nanhai Olympic Sport Centre has been reset after the Women’s World Cup completed last week, and the second event of the ITTF RESTART is ready to go in Weihai, China.

Twenty one of the world’s best have finished with an isolation period, and are ready to get started.  The 21 players include the current World Champion, 17 continental cup qualifiers, and additional players seeded by World Ranking with a maximum of 2 entries per country.  Thirteen players will compete in groups, with the top 8 advancing (2 per group) to face the top 8 seeds.

The U.S. is represented by Kanak Jha.  He is in Group 2 with England’s Liam Pitchford seeded above him, and Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan seeded below.

The other groups are as follows: Group 1 Youngsik Jeoung, Wong Chun Ting, Tomislav Pucar, and Ahmed Saleh, Group 3 Patrick Franziska, Quadri Aruna, Darko Jorgic, and Group 4 Woojin Jang, Robert Gardos, and Gustavo Tsuboi.

The main draw has not been posted yet, so the exact path of each player is uncertain.  What is certain, is that every match will be closely contested as the event is a collection of only the World’s best.

ITTF TV will be following the matches via livestream.  Action begins at 11a local time (or 10p Eastern).  Kanak Jha is scheduled to play at 2p and 5p local time (1a and 4a Eastern).

Check in at ButterflyOnline.com starting Thursday for updates on the progress of this event and other events.