Smashing new format in cash rich event

THE T2 Asia Pacific Table Tennis Championships will start tomorrow in Iskandar Puteri, Johor Baru, with a new scoring format.

The championships will feature 24 world class players – 12 men and 12 women – from Belarus, China, England, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Romania, Russia, South Korea, Singapore, Sweden and Thailand.

Denmark’s table tennis legend Michael Maze said the championships, to be held at the Pinewood Studios for 11 days, would require players to win as many games as possible within a 24-minute time limit.

“In the past, there was no time limit for players to complete a match. Therefore, matches can go on for hours.

“With the time limit, the players will be more focused. The game will also become more exciting,” Maze said yesterday.

The championships is touted as the richest competition on the professional table-tennis calendar with the players battling for US$1.75 million (RM7.35 million) in prize money in the inaugural season.