Photo courtesy of Xu Xin/Liu Shiwen in the game, China Table Tennis Association

　　China News Service, Beijing, June 21. According to the Chinese Table Tennis Association, the Chinese national table tennis team, which is undergoing closed training in Weihai, Shandong, will hold a warm-up match for the Tokyo Olympics from June 20 to 23 as planned.

This warm-up match consists of mixed doubles and men's and women's teams.

　　In addition to targeting the strongest simulated players in the team based on the situation of opponents in the Tokyo Olympics, the Hong Kong team of China was also invited to participate in this warm-up match.

Chen Jianghua, the head coach of the Hong Kong team of China, said, "Thank the China Table Tennis Association for giving us the opportunity to train and warm up with the Chinese team. This time the team members were enveloped by the Olympic atmosphere as soon as they entered the Weihai base, and the whole person was immediately mobilized. We attach great importance to this warm-up match."

　　It is understood that in the warm-up match during the closed training camp, the team started from a difficult and strict point of view, whether from the selection of opponents or the schedule, it is based on maximizing the competitive state of the main players.

　　On June 20th and 21st, the mixed doubles competition will be played in several groups such as Xu Xin/Liu Shiwen, Wang Chuqin/Wang Manyu, Lin Gaoyuan/Zhang Rui, Zhou Qihao/Gu Yuting, and China Hong Kong team Huang Zhenting/Du Kaiqin. Round-robin matches between players will eventually decide the mixed doubles champion.

The time of the mixed doubles match deliberately refers to the mixed doubles time of the Tokyo Olympics, as close as possible to actual combat in the external environment.

　　The team competition will be held on June 22nd and 23rd. The four teams of men and women will adopt a round-robin system.

Except for the Chinese men's and women's first team composed of the Olympic lineup, the other three teams are all "blues" carefully selected by the coaching staff.

At the same time, in order to increase the actual intensity of the competition, each team competition will play five games.

　　In the match on the 20th, Xu Xin/Liu Shiwen adjusted their status in time after losing one game first, defeating Zhou Qihao/Gu Yuting 4:1.

After the game, Liu Guoliang, chairman of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, immediately called the coaches in charge of mixed doubles Ma Lin, Chen Qi, Xu Xin, and Liu Shiwen to resume the game and conduct targeted and intensive training on the problems in the game.

In the other game, Lin Gaoyuan/Zhang Rui defeated Huang Zhenting/Du Kaiyan 4:2.

　　Subsequently, Wang Chuqin/Wang Manyu challenged the Olympic team Xu Xin/Liu Shiwen.

As soon as the game started, Wang Chuqin/Wang Manyu quickly entered the state and won the first game at 11:8.

However, Xu Xin/Liu Shiwen adjusted their status and evened the score with 11:9 in the second game.

After that, Xu Xin/Liu Shiwen strengthened the connection of the serve-receiving link, leading a 3:1 lead.

After that, although Wang Chuqin/Wang Manyu pulled back one game, Xu Xin/Liu Shiwen still controlled the situation, defeating their opponent 4:2, and ushered in two consecutive victories on the first day.

　　In the other game, Huang Zhenting/Du Kaiyan were in a 2-0 lead, and they were reversed by Zhou Qihao/Gu Yuting 4:3.

(Finish)