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CITY: Philadelphia, USA SITE: Liacouras Center, Temple University, 1776 North Broad Street,

Philadelphia PA 19121 DATE: 7 9 October 2016 PLAYERS: 20 TABLES: 2 TABLE BRAND: DHS BALL BRAND: DHS FLOOR BRAND: Enlio (red) MEDIA CONTACT: ITTF Promotion Manager Matt Pound, mpound@ittfmail.com,

+6586544715 USTTA Press Officer Richard Finn, richardfinn57@gmail.com,

+19174688894 INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Seamaster 2016 Womens World Cup, which is the third most prestigious table tennis event of the year after the Olympic Games and World Team Table Tennis Championships and is contested by 20 players. The Seamaster 2016 Womens World Cup will be held in Philadelphia, USA. It is the first time that USA is hosting the tournament. The previous occasion was in XEBIO Arena, Japan. The 20 players taking part at the Seamaster 2016 Womens World Cup qualified through their Continental Cups, apart from wildcard player ZHANG Lily (USA) and substitute SOLJA Petrissa (GER) who replaces the World Champion DING Ning (CHN). YU Mengyu (SGP) withdrew from the tournament and is being replaced by POTA Georgina (HUN). Cheng I-Ching (TPE) replaces Asian Cup Champion Liu Shiwen (CHN). This preview is designed to provide an update on the Seamaster 2016 Womens World Cup. Enclosed are statistics and notes that will be of assistance during the tournament. Players biographies as well as statistical, historical and personal data can be found on ITTF.com. Please make player interview requests through a member of the ITTF media staff located in the pressroom. Key Dates/Times 6 October 2016, 7:00pm @ Liacouras Center (Media room) Draw for Stage 1 7 October 2016, 10:00am @ Liacouras Center Day 1, Stage 1 7 October 2016, 4:30pm @ (TBD) Draw for Stage 2 7 October 2016, 7:30pm @ Liacouras Center Day 1, Round of 16 8 October 2016, 2:00pm @ Liacouras Center Day 2, Round of 16 8 October 2016, 7:00pm @ Liacouras Center Day 2, Quarterfinal 9 October 2016, 2:00pm @ Liacouras Center Day 3, Semi Final 9 October 2016, 6:00pm @ Liacouras Center Day 3, match for 3rd place 9 October 2016, 7:00pm @ Liacouras Center Day 3, Final

SEAMASTER 2016 WOMENS WORLD CUP MEDIA KIT

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Qualification The 20 players who are contesting the Seamaster 2016 Womens World Cup comprises of:

17 players who have qualified through their respective Continental Cups. If no players qualify from the host association through the above avenues, a host

association player may nominate a player The final player is chosen by the ITTF as a wildcard. If the World Champion is not available or withdraws, she shall be replaced by the

remaining highest ranked and highest finisher from the Continental Cups How the 17 places are determined through the Continental Cup:

The winner of each Continental Cup, plus the second and third highest finishers from Asia and Europe qualify, for a total of 10 players.

Seven additional players are being selected from the Continental Cups based on their order of finishing and their World Ranking. The highest ranked player amongst players finishing second in Africa, Latin America, North America, Oceania, and fourth in Asia and Europe, are selected. The highest ranked next player from the remaining players in the top most place on the qualifying positions from each Continental Cup, are selected, and so on, until the seven places are filled.

# WR Oct 2016 Player Qualification Method 1 120 MESHREF Dina (EGY) African Cup Winner 2 223 RUANO Lady (COL) Latin American Cup Winner 3 142 WU Yue (USA1) North American Cup Winner 4 162 DEDERKO Zhenhua (AUS) Oceania Cup Winner 5 57 SHEN Yanfei (ESP) Europe Cup Winner 6 6 FENG Tianwei (SGP) Asian Cup 3rd place 7 18 TIE Yana (HKG1) Asian Cup 4th place 8 27 HU Melek (TUR) Europe Cup 2nd place 9 21 LIU Jia (AUT1) Europe Cup 3rd place 10 17 HIRANO Miu (JPN1) Asian Cup 5th place 11 11 ITO Mima (JPN2) Asian Cup 6th place 12 27 SAMARA Elizabeta (ROU) Europe Cup 4th place 13 39 JIANG Huajun (HKG2) Asian Cup 7th place 14 28 YANG Haeun (KOR) Asian Cup 9th 12th place 15 63 POLCANOVA Sofia (AUT2) Europe Cup 5th place 16 56 WINTER Sabine (GER) Europe Cup 6th place 17 34 POTA Georgina (HUN) Europe Cup 7th place 18 100 ZHANG Lily (USA2) Wild Card 19 16 SOLJA Petrissa (GER) Substitute 20 8 CHENG I-Ching (TPE) Substitute

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Playing System The Seamaster 2016 Womens World Cup consists of two stages: Stage One

In stage one, the players seeded nine to 20 (12 players) are drawn into four equal groups of three players, with all members of a group playing each other.

Players seeded 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th head each group A, B, C and D respectively. Players seeded 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th are drawn randomly into the second position

of each preliminary group. The remaining players seeded 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th are drawn randomly into the

third and last position in each preliminary group If there are 2 players from the same Association, they will be drawn into separate

groups. The top 2 finishers of each preliminary group shall join the top 8 seeded players in the

second stage of the competition. Stage Two

Stage two is knock-out stage of the competition. The draws for seeded 1st 8th will be done according to ITTF Regulations. Seed 1 placed in position 1, seed 2 placed in position 16 Seeds 3 and 4 drawn between position 8 and 9 Seeds 5-8 drawn randomly into positions 4, 5, 12 and 13. Group winners from the preliminary stage will be drawn randomly into positions 3, 6,

11 and 14. The second place finishers of each group shall be drawn randomly into positions 2, 7,

10 and 15 of the draw; group winners and second place finishers from the same group will be drawn into opposite halves of the draw; there will be no separation by association.

Losers of the semi-finals play each other for third place. All matches will be played to the best of 7 games.

Prize Money Winner: US$45,000 Runner-up: US$25,000 3rd place: US$15,000 4th place: US$10,000 5th 8th place: US$6,000 9th 16th place: US$3,250 17th 20th place: US$1,250 Total: US$150,000

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Past Winners and Locations

Year Host City Gold Silver Bronze 2015 Sendai Liu Shiwen (CHN) Ishikawa Kasumi Solja Petrissa (GER) 2014 Linz Ding Ning (CHN) Li Xiaoxia (CHN) Ishikawa Kasumi (JPN) 2013 Kobe Liu Shiwen (CHN) Wu Yang (CHN) Feng Tianwei (SGP) 2012 Huangshi Liu Shiwen (CHN) Samara Elizabeta Shen Yanfei (ESP) 2011 Singapore Ding Ning (CHN) Li Xiaoxia (CHN) Tie Yana (HKG) 2010 Kuala Lumpur Guo Yan (CHN) Jiang Huajun (HKG) Guo Yue (CHN) 2009 Guangzhou Liu Shiwen (CHN) Guo Yue (CHN) Li Xiaoxia (CHN) 2008 Kuala Lumpur Li Xiaoxia (CHN) Tie Yana (HKG) Feng Tianwei (SGP) 2007 Chengdu Wang Nan (CHN) Zhang Yining (CHN) Guo Yue (CHN) 2006 Urumqi Guo Yan (CHN) Zhang Yining (CHN) Li Jiawei (SGP) 2005 Guangzhou Zhang Yining (CHN) Guo Yan (CHN) Fukuhara Ai (JPN) 2004 Hangzhou Zhang Yining (CHN) Wang Nan (CHN) Tie Yana (HKG) 2003 Paris Wang Nan (CHN) Niu Jianfeng (CHN) Zhang Yining (CHN) 2002 Singapore Zhang Yining (CHN) Li Nan (CHN) Tie Yana (HKG) 2001 Wuhu Zhang Yining (CHN) Kim Hyon-Hui (PRK) Steff Mihaela (ROU) 2000 Phnom Penh Li Ju (CHN) Wang Nan (CHN) Sun Jin (CHN) 1998 Taipei Wang Nan (CHN) Li Ju (CHN) Chen-Tong Fei-Ming (TPE) 1997 Shanghai Wang Nan (CHN) Li Ju (CHN) Li Chunli (NZL) 1996 Hong Kong Deng Yaping (CHN) Yang Ying (CHN) Wang Chen (CHN)

Most Successful Womens World Cup Players Liu Shiwen (CHN) 4 (2015, 2013, 2012, 2009) Zhang Yining (CHN) 4 (2005, 2004, 2002, 2001) Wang Nan (CHN) 4 (2007, 2003, 1998, 1997) Most Womens World Cup Appearances Tie Yana (HKG) will be taking part in her 12th Womens World Cup. Tie Yana (HKG) 12 Liu Jia (AUT) 11 Jiang Huajun (HKG) 9 Li Jiawei (SGP) 9

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Players Information

2016 Stats Seeding Name WR Hand Grip Play Style AGE % Won Played Won

1 FENG Tianwei (SGP) 5 R Shakehand Attacking 30 73% 56 41 2 CHENG I-Ching (TPE) 8 R Shakehand Attacking 24 67% 46 31 3 ITO Mima (JPN) 11 R Shakehand Attacking 15 68% 56 38 4 SOLJA Petrissa (GER) 16 L Shakehand Attacking 22 58% 31 18 5 HIRANO Miu (JPN) 17 R Shakehand Attacking 16 68% 34 23 6 TIE Yana (HKG) 18 R Shakehand Attacking 37 59% 44 26 7 LIU Jia (AUT) 21 L Shakehand Attacking 34 63% 30 19 8 HU Melek (TUR) 27 R Shakehand Attacking 27 56% 32 18 9 YANG Haeun (KOR) 28 R Shakehand Attacking 22 68% 60 41 10 SAMARA Elizabeta (ROU) 32 L Shakehand Attacking 27 58% 43 25 11 POTA Georgina (HUN) 34 R Shakehand Attacking 31 67% 52 35 12 JIANG Huajun (HKG) 39 R Shakehand Attacking 32 55% 42 23 13 WINTER Sabine (GER) 56 R Shakehand Attacking 24 58% 26 15 14 SHEN Yanfei (ESP) 57 L Shakehand Attacking 36 73% 15 11 15 POLCANOVA Sofia (AUT) 63 L Shakehand Attacking 22 50% 26 13 16 ZHANG Lily (USA) 100 R Shakehand Attacking 20 46% 24 11 17 MESHREF Dina (EGY) 120 L Shakehand Attacking 22 67% 27 18 18 WU Yue (USA) 142 R Shakehand Attacking 26 64% 22 14 19 DEDERKO Zhenhua (AUS) 162 R Shakehand Attacking 39 72% 18 13 20 RUANO Lady (COL) 223 R Shakehand Attacking 35 53% 32 17

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Tournament Facts

The 2016 Womens World Cup is the 20th edition. A Chinese player has always won the title. There will be a new title holder for the Womens World Cup this year, as none of the

defending champions will be taking part. The oldest competitor is Dederko Zhenhua (AUS), who is 39 years old. The youngest is

Ito Mima (JPN) who is 15, a difference of 24 years! There are no defensive players in this years edition of the Womens World Cup. 6 players (33.3%) out of 20 are left-handed players.