Ma Long & Timo Boll To Renew Partnership at 2017 World Championships

Current men's World one MA Long and six-time European champion Timo BOLL will join forces for the second consecutive World Championships after their pairing for the Men's Doubles event at the Liebherr 2017 World Table Tennis Championships

China's MA, the reigning Olympic champion, and BOLL of Germany will renew their partnership at this year's World Championships, to be held in Dusseldorf from May 29 to June 5, two years after they last played as a pair in 2015.

On that occasion in Suzhou, they were beaten in the second round by eventual champions XU Xin and ZHANG Jike, although the duo has tasted success before when they beat a similar Chinese-German pair of Dimitrij Ovtcharov and Yan An on the ITTF World Tour in Chengdu back in 2013.

"I'm very excited to be playing with Timo for the Men's Doubles event"said MA. "It's a pity that we lost in the second round in 2015. Actually, we played well and we had chances back then. I hope that Timo will be playing his best form on home soil and I will value this opportunity again to play well in the event."

Echoing his partner's sentiments, 26 year old BOLL explained: "I am looking forward to our second attempt at a World Championships. On one hand, I have a good contact with MA Long also away from the table. On the other hand, our performances at the China Open 2013, as well as in 2015 in Suzhou, brought great and memorable moments for both of us, even if our success had different results. Now, we have a third attempt in my home country. This is another wonderful and very fine career highlight for me to play with MA Long at home soil in Dusseldorf."

The MA-BOLL partnership is just one of several tantalising doubles pairings that were announced on Wednesday.

Also competing in the Men's Doubles are Chinese National Team colleagues Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin, who like Ma and Boll are previous champions of the China Open when they emerged triumphant in Chengdu two years ago.

Over in the Mixed Doubles category, China's FANG Bo is set to link up with German Petrissa SOLJA, while FANG's fellow compatriot FENG Yalan will find herself on the same side of the table as Jonathan GROTH of Denmark.

Both FANG and SOLJA spoke of their excitement at the prospect of pairing up in their quest for a gold medal come the end of May in Dusseldorf.

"I am very happy to play mixed doubles with SOLJA," said FANG. "I have watched her play before and know that she is a very good player. I will try my best and do the full preparation during the closed training. I hope I can pair with SOLJA to win the Mixed Doubles title in Germany."

SOLJA added: "It will be very special for me to play alongside one of the strongest players from the world's best nation. How successful this can work was shown by Xu Xin and his Korean partner Yang Haeun, who became world champions 2015 in Suzhou. We are also a left and right hander combination, so we will take XU Xin and YANG Haeun as a good example and see how far that goes."

On the topic of mixed-nationality pairings, ITTF President Thomas WEIKERT said: "Double pairs from different nations are enriching our sport and will make relationships between National Associations even stronger."

DHS Unveils Black Table Tennis Table for 2017 World Championships

Double Happiness (DHS), the official table supplier of the Liebherr 2017 World Table Tennis Championships, has unveiled the table tennis table where history will be made on at the biggest table tennis event on earth in Düsseldorf, Germany from 29 May to 5 June 2017.

Themed “Black is Bold”, the new addition to DHS’s line of “Rainbow” table tennis tables, features a stylish sleek black table top while the classic “Rainbow Arch” design which represents the connection of the continents at the World’s biggest table tennis event, as well as the graceful arcs of the table tennis ball whilst playing.

Upon the unveiling of the iconic table, DHS General Manager Mr. LOU Shihe stated “The show court table for 2017 World Table Tennis Championships is based on the design of the 2015 event Rainbow table. Its overview becomes much more stereoscopic and layered with the fusion of the German Flag element and the event logo, illuminated by the LED light system. In this case, the whole table takes on a good combination of its visual identity and color blending if it is shot at a lower angle and closer distance to bring about a fresh experience for spectators.”

“Undoubtedly, the development and application of the table cannot be successful without great support of ITTF and the Organizing Committee. ITTF always attach great importance to and give big support to its research and production.”

ITTF Marketing and Commercial Director Mr. Steve DAINTON added “DHS has been an important partner for the ITTF for many years. In 2005, they introduced the “Rainbow Table” which was a revolution in show court tables. This year they keep their icon but with a bold new table top color, black and combine it with the German national colors. A sleek look which shows how strong design mixed with amazing Colors can help showcase the sport of table tennis at the highest level. I guess we can also see with this table that the relations between China and Germany are also strong, the World Champions in the two most Global sports in the World – Table Tennis and Football.”

The Liebherr 2017 World Table Tennis Championships, to be held at the Messe Düsseldorf from 29 May to 5 June 2017, will see the world’s best table tennis players battle for honor to be crowned World Champions and make history on the historic “Black Rainbow” in the following categories:

• Men’s Singles – Title Holder: MA Long (China)
• Women’s Singles – Title Holder: DING Ning (China)
• Men’s Doubles – Title Holder: XU Xin (China) & ZHANG Jike (China)
• Women’s Doubles – Title Holder: LIU Shiwen (China) & ZHU Yuling (China)
• Mixed Doubles – Title Holder: XU Xin (China) & YANG Haeun (Korea Republic)