Africa’s representatives at the 2019 ITTF Team World Cup – Nigeria and Egypt have received a tough draw at the tournament.
Both teams will battle world and Olympic champions – China in the first round of the competition holding at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
Tokyo, which recently hosted Rugby World Cup to next year’s keenly awaited Olympic Games, Japan is very much at the centre of the sporting world right now as the anticipation and excitement that come with staging the most prestigious sports event of all are certainly not shifting away from these shores.
Before Tokyo 2020 is duly paraded across the nation next summer, there is a very important test event taking place – 2019 ITTF Team World Cup between Wednesday, November 6 and Sunday, November 10.
Twelve of the strongest national associations, in each of the men’s and women’s competitions, are battling for glory, which will also be the venue for next year’s big event and a dress rehearsal for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The roadmap for the first two days of the Team World Cup was confirmed on Tuesday at the draw which split the teams into groups of three with the top two positions of each group proceeding to the knockout rounds.
African men champion, Nigeria will play the opening match in Group A against China on November 6 while their second group match will be against Chinese Taipei on November 7.
Aruna Quadri will lead the Nigeria team alongside Olajide Omotayo, Bode Abiodun, Segun Toriola and home-based Azeez Solanke.
Like Nigeria, Egypt will also begin their campaign in Group A against China while their second match will be against Ukraine.
African Games gold medal-winning Egyptian team would be led by the continent’s women singles champion – Dina Meshref, as well as Yousra Helmy.
Others are Farah Abdel-Aziz, Reem El-Eracky, as well as teenage sensation, Marwa Alhodaby.
As first and second seeds in both men’s and women’s competitions – China and Japan are the favourites to meet in Sunday’s finals.
Their strongest challengers among the men’s teams are Germany (thrid) and Korea Republic (fourth), while Chinese Taipei (third) and Hong Kong, China (fourth) are the other top seeds in the women’s team groups.
