by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

A modern state of the building, enter the premises, take the escalator to the next floor and you arrive where the two show courts are located, return to ground floor, then take the descending escalator and you are present in the hall which houses a further ten tables.

Eight of those tables will be in use on the opening day of play, the start of the Boys’ Team and Girls’ Team events

In each event, there are 12 teams on duty in the first stage, drawn in to four groups with three teams in each group. The top eight seeded team in each event do not compete in the initial phase, they start proceedings in stage two where they are joined by the teams who finish in first places in their respective groups in stage one.

Teams finishing in the second and third places in each first group in each event compete for positions no.13 to no.20.

Thus a total of 12 teams play in the second stage, again proceedings are organised on a group basis with three teams in each group; the top four seeds are named at the head of each group, teams seeded fifth to eight are then drawn into the next four places in each group and the finally the first placed team from the initial phase are added, one into each group.

Teams finishing in the top two places in each group in the second stage advance to the quarter-finals; teams finishing in third position in each second stage group compete for places no.9 to no.12. Likewise the losing quarter-finalists compete for positions no.5 to no.8. Two bronze medals are awarded, there in to third place contest.

Finals of both the Boys’ Team and Girls’ Team events will be played on the evening of Wednesday 29th November.