After applying the new world ranking rules, the latest edition of the ITTF World Rankings was announced on the 3rd. Chinese team athletes Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng led the men's singles and women's singles respectively.
The ITTF Executive Committee last week approved the latest proposal developed by the World Rankings Working Group. The "initial points" introduced in 2020 were removed, and basically, the player's world ranking consisted of the sum of the eight highest points earned in the last 12 months. This has led to a major change in the world rankings of some athletes.
In the men's singles, Fan Zhendong, Ma Long and Liang Jingkun were in the top three, and Brazil's Calderano was in fourth. Sweden's Youngster Moregaard moved up 10 places to fifth, setting a new career high. Slovenian player Jočic also broke the rankings, ranking sixth. Africa's Aruna rose two places to tenth place, becoming the first player in African history to be ranked in the top 10. Zhang Benzhihe, Lin Yunru and Ocharov all dropped 2 places in the rankings, but remained in the top 10.
On March 20, China's Fan Zhendong won the championship by defeating teammate Ma Long 4-3 in the men's singles final of the Singapore Grand Slam of the World Table Tennis Professional League (WTT).
In the women's singles, Chen Meng, Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu and Wang Yidi ranked in the top four. Hina Hayata ranked better than Ito, with the two ranked fifth and sixth respectively. German chipper Han Ying moved up four spots to eighth, with Du Kaixuan, Diaz and Ishikawa remaining in the top 10 in the new rankings.
On March 20, China's Chen Meng won the championship by defeating teammate Wang Manyu 4-3 in the women's singles final of the Singapore Grand Slam of the World Table Tennis Professional League (WTT).
The youngsters set a new high in the new rankings. In the men's singles, Yuan Licen rose 77 places to rank 32nd, Liu Dingshuo rose 67 places to rank 46th, Xiang Peng rose 22 places to rank 62nd, Xue Fei rose 32 places to rank 75th, and Lin Shidong rose 331 places to rank 84th.
In women's singles, Miyu Kihara rose seven places to rank 15th, Liu Weishan rose 29 places to rank 17th, Fan Siqi rose 33 places to rank 20th, Shen Yubin rose 27 places to rank 25th, Kuman rose 69 places to rank 33rd, Ziffy rose 177 places to rank 69th, and Zhang Benmeihe rose 216 places to rank 71st.
Due to the emptying of the "initial points", some players have dropped significantly in the ranking. In the men's singles, Lin Gaoyuan dropped 8 places to rank 18th, Zheng Rongzhi dropped 10 places to rank 28th, Zhang Yuzhen dropped 16 places to rank 36th, Fark dropped 21 places to rank 38th, Niwa Takashi dropped 41 places to rank 67th, and Xu Xin dropped 73 places to rank 81st.
In women's singles, Chen Xingtong dropped 12 places to rank 27th, Xu Xiaoyuan dropped 10 places to rank 31st, Zheng Yijing dropped 21 places to rank 34th, Hirano Miyu dropped 28 places to rank 44th, and Liu Shiwen dropped 68 places to rank 85th.
Source: Xinhua News Agency
Photo: Deng Zhiwei
Editors: Yang Yu, Yang Ye
Review: Zhang Xiaotong