by Simon Daish
Four table tennis legends have been named as Team Captains for the competition with Jiang Jialiang, Jörgen Persson, Jörg Rosskopf and Michael Maze placed in the roles for the upcoming event.
World champion at the 1985 and 1987 World Championships Jiang Jialiang of China is the sole Team Captain from Asia in the opening season of the T2 APAC, while Jörgen Persson is arguably best known for his Men’s Singles title victory over fellow Swedish star Jan-Ove Waldner at the 1991 World Championships in Chiba City.
“I’m honoured to be invited to be a Team Captain in this ground-breaking competition. The concept of T2 APAC is so unique, and I genuinely believe that getting us to play a crucial role with, and to guide and lead, current international table tennis stars will do wonders to promote the sport worldwide”, Jörgen Persson.
Jörg Rosskopf has plenty of experience managing table tennis stars due to his role as Germany’s men’s coach making him a perfect choice for a captain, and rounding off the all-star cast is the legendary Michael Maze of Denmark whose defensive masterclasses on the table made him a fan favourite during his playing career.
The four Team Captains will attempt to build the perfect squad featuring three male and three female players via a draft selection procedure and the CEO of the T2 Asia-Pacific League, Jeff Chue is pleased to have the four captains on board for the season ahead.
“We are excited to have these four legends of the game play an integral part in the league. They will certainly add an all-new dimension to gameplay that will certainly bolster appeal of the league to new and existing fans”, Jeff Chue.
Featuring stars such as Dimitrij Ovtcharov and Ding Ning, the T2 APAC promises to deliver exciting action via a unique set of rules including a 24-minute time limit on each match and a league structure consisting of men’s, women’s and mixed team championships.