【ANN NEWS, COMPREHENSIVE REPORT】 The Chinese Table Tennis Association announced on August 29 its selection criteria for the 2026 Asian Table Tennis Championships. Of particular note, five Chinese national team players — Wang Chuqin, Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu, Chen Xingtong and He Zhuojia — have voluntarily withdrawn from the selection process for the Asian Championships.
The 2026 Asian Table Tennis Championships will be held from October 19 to 25 in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, featuring seven events: men’s team, women’s team, men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.
The Chinese Table Tennis Association said the selection process is designed to fulfill the team’s objectives for the 2026 Asian Championships while also supporting preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. The lineup will be determined based on a comprehensive assessment of ITTF world ranking points, results from major international and domestic competitions, internal selection results and athletes’ contributions to the national team, while also taking into account the development of the team’s talent pipeline and playing-style combinations.
Five Chinese National Team Stars Voluntarily Withdraw From Selection
National team head coach Qin Zhijian said the Asian Games will take place before the 2026 Asian Championships, while the Mixed Team World Cup and several WTT ranking events are scheduled for the end of the year, making the national team’s competition calendar extremely demanding throughout the year.
Following extensive communication between the coaching staff and athletes, and taking into account the schedule of major international competitions later in 2026 as well as the athletes’ individual needs, it was agreed that Wang Chuqin, Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu, Chen Xingtong and He Zhuojia would voluntarily withdraw from the selection process for the Asian Championships. In addition, Zhou Qihao will not participate in the selection process for the men’s singles, men’s doubles or mixed doubles events.
This means several of China’s leading players will not compete through the selection process for places at the Asian Championships. At the same time, a group of younger players and other national team athletes will have more opportunities to compete in continental tournaments and test themselves in high-level competition.
How Will the Team Events Be Selected?
Under the criteria announced by the Chinese Table Tennis Association, the three highest-ranked eligible players in the selection pool, based on the ITTF singles world rankings released on August 17, 2026, will automatically qualify for the men’s team event.
The remaining two places will be recommended by the coaching staff based on a comprehensive assessment of recent performances in major international and domestic competitions, while also taking into account talent development and playing-style combinations.
The women’s team will likewise have its first three places determined by world rankings, while the final two places will be decided through internal selection matches.
Singles Events: Women’s Singles Determined Entirely by World Rankings
The five men’s singles places will be determined through three methods: the three highest-ranked eligible players will qualify automatically; the coaching staff will recommend one player based on a comprehensive assessment of recent performances; and the final place will be determined through internal selection matches.
The women’s singles selection process is more straightforward — based on the ITTF singles world rankings released on August 17, the five highest-ranked players within the eligible selection pool will qualify automatically.
Doubles and Mixed Doubles Emphasize Competition Performance and Talent Development
Two pairs each will qualify for the men’s doubles and women’s doubles events. The national team coaching staff will recommend the pairs based on a comprehensive assessment of ITTF world ranking points and recent performances in major domestic and international competitions, while also considering talent development and playing-style combinations.
In mixed doubles, the pair that wins the internal selection competition will directly earn one place, while the coaching staff will select the other pair from among the remaining combinations that participated in the internal selection competition based on a comprehensive evaluation.
China Begins Laying Groundwork for the Los Angeles Olympics
The selection criteria show that, in addition to results at the Asian Championships, the Chinese Table Tennis Association has explicitly identified the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and 2032 Brisbane Olympics as long-term objectives.
With core players including Wang Chuqin, Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu already facing extremely demanding competition schedules, allowing some leading players to withdraw from this selection process based on their individual circumstances can help manage their schedules and physical condition while also providing other athletes with more opportunities to compete in major international events.
For the Chinese national table tennis team, which is undergoing a generational transition and developing its talent pipeline, the lineup for this year’s Asian Championships will therefore draw particular attention.
The Chinese Table Tennis Association said the final list of athletes and coaches will be published on its official website after completing the internal approval process. If an athlete suffers a sudden injury or illness after the roster is announced, the lineup will be adjusted in accordance with established procedures and publicly announced after receiving approval from the Asian Table Tennis Union.
