Hong Kong will send all its top table tennis players to next week’s Singapore Smash tournament in a bid to consolidate their world rankings ahead of the Asian Games. With the World Team Championships in Chengdu scheduled for April being postponed to late September after the Asian Games, there will not be too many major events left in the calendar, according to head coach Chan Kong-wah. Despite the continuing coronavirus outbreak in Hong Kong, and the risk of infection while travelling, Chan said it was essential for the team to compete in Singapore. “We do worry as there is always a risk of sending players overseas these days under the pandemic but the baseline is they also need world ranking points to secure a better draw in Hangzhou later this year,” the coach said. “The Singapore tournament, which will be followed by the Star Contender Doha in Qatar, will probably be the two major ones that we can have the opportunity of securing ranking points and cannot afford missing them. “We are not considering sending players to Europe as many of the European countries have lifted their safety measures, making it more easy for our players to be exposed to Covid-19.” Hong Kong paddlers Wong and Doo into last 16 of worlds Despite the team’s success at the Tokyo Olympics last year, where the women won bronze, the Asian Games is the benchmark for all tier A programmes at the Hong Kong Sports Institute to maintain their elite status. A medal is considered a prerequisite if any elite sport wants to stay at the Fo Tan training complex, where athletes receive abundant coaching, training and competition support in their bid to stay competitive internationally. Table tennis is highly competitive in Asia. Other than China, the most powerful nation in the world, Hong Kong must also beat the likes of Japan, Taiwan and South Korea at the Asian Games if they want to win a medal. In Singapore, Hong Kong will be led by Doo Hoi-kem, the world No 7 and a member of the Tokyo Olympic bronze medal winning team, in the women’s event, with her mixed doubles partner, Wong Chun-ting the major force in the men’s side. Other players include Soo Wai-yam, Lee Ho-ching, Zhu Chengzhu, Ng Wing-nam, Ho Kwan-kit and Lam Siu-hang. Hong Kong women on history-making roll in team table tennis in Tokyo The coach said the players had not been at a major competition since they played in the WTT Cup finals in Singapore, in December. “The training has been running well these days but at a certain point they also need a target for their training,” said Chan. “The two events in March will probably allow us to gauge their progress after not having any competition for such a long time.” Chinah is sending all its top players to the inaugural event in Singapore, which is considered to be one of the sport’s grand slam tournaments. The Chinese team is headed by reigning world champions Fan Zhendong (men’s) and Wang Manyu (women’s) as well as 2020 Tokyo Olympic champions Ma Long (men’s) and Chen Meng (women’s). The stellar field in Singapore will compete for the lucrative prize pool of US$2 million – the largest ever seen at an officially sanctioned table tennis event, with the men’s and women’s singles champions each walking away with a winner’s cheque of US$100,000.