This Hong Kong Open was probably the world-class tournament with the most complete lineup, the most players, the most top competitors, and the most countries represented that Wang Chao had entered since crossing into this world. There were more than two hundred competitors in total.
Adding coaches, practice partners, team doctors, and all sorts of miscellaneous accompanying staff, there were over a thousand people altogether.
They filled three star-rated hotels before everyone could be accommodated.
Thus, thirty-two players would ultimately enter the main draw. These thirty-two would be divided into eight groups of four. The top fifteen in the current world rankings would enter the main draw directly, while the sixteenth spot would be nominated by the host, the Hong Kong Table Tennis Association. The remaining sixteen places would have to be earned through the qualifying rounds.
This meant that, out of the more than two hundred players, everyone except those sixteen would have to enter the qualifiers and compete for the remaining sixteen spots.
Given that the qualifiers would be packed with renowned players from various countries, advancing to the main draw would be extremely difficult.
For example, Wang Chao was even considered by many to be a title contender, yet he still had to begin in the qualifiers. Anyone who drew him could only count themselves unlucky.
The large screen in front lit up at just the right moment, clearly displaying the current world rankings for everyone to see.
1, China, Sun Tianlong
2, China, Xiao Fei
3, China, Lin Li
4, Brazil, Hook Calderano
5, Germany, Hans Bayer
6, China, Luo Jiu
7, China, Bai Feng
8, Sakura Country, Mizutori Hato
9, Hong Kong, Weng Chunting
10, Belarus, Ochomirov
11, Sweden, K. Michel, 31 years old
12, England, Pike
13, Kimchi Country, Zhu Shixian
14, China, Yan