The tournament came about after a Swedish initiative last year and the players got to lift the trophy “Guoliang-Sörling Trophy” named after the former great player Liu Gouliang, now chairman of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, and the Swedish chairman of the International Table Tennis Association, Petra Sörling.
The more proud than joyful Chinese team received the bow from Gouliang and Sörling in person at the Sichuan Gymnasium hall on Sunday.
Several teams fielded B line-ups after a long and demanding season but China had their best team with world number one Wang Chuqin in the mixed doubles and the tour’s most in-form player, Lin Shidong, in what would be the final singles.
China took the second title
The competition was played in a different format where the team that won eight sets first won the match.
– I am really happy that we were able to defend our title in the second Mixed Team World Cup. Our whole team was very united and cohesive. We gave everything with the goal of winning the championship. I am very grateful, triple Olympic champion Sun Yingsha told the ITTF.
Sweden came without Anton Källberg and Truls Möregårdh and was eliminated in the group stage.