2008 ITTF China Open will adopt Olympic competition systems

CHANGCHUN, Northeast China, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The 2008 ITTF China Table Tennis Open will adopt the Olympic competition system, said organizers on Tuesday at the press conference in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province.

The China Open will feature team matches and single matches of both men and women, the same competition system of the Olympic table tennis tournament, according to the organizers.

"It's the first time for the ITTF professional games to adopt Olympic systems," said Yu Bin, deputy director of Table Tennis and Badminton Games Administration Center of China's General Administration of Sport.

The competition system is set to provide opportunities for table tennis players to adapt to the new system of the coming Olympics, as the 2008 ITTF China Open is the last international table tennis tournament before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, according to Yu.

A total of 95 players from 16 table tennis associations will participate in the ITTF China Open. Most teams, including hosts China, have sent their best players for better preparation for the coming Olympics.

The 2008 ITTF China Open will be held from May 14 to May 18 at the Changchun Olympic Rings Stadium.