by Ian Marshall, Editor

First staged in 1951 in New Delhi, following meetings at the London 1948 Olympic Games, from 1954 the Asian Games have been staged on a quadrennial basis. Table tennis was introduced in 1958 in Japan and, with the exception of 1970 in Bangkok, has been part of the multi-sport gathering ever since that date.

China (61 gold, 34 silver and 26 bronze medals) is the most successful nation in an event that possesses an added dimension. There is the added ingredient of contributing to the greater good.

In Jakarta, five events are on offer; the events which will be staged at the forthcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games – Men’s Team, Women’s Team, Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles and Mixed Doubles.

Furthermore, it is a very exacting scheduled.

The Men’s Team and Women’s Team events commence matters; the preliminary group stage being held on Sunday 26th August and concluding on Monday 27th August, the day on which the quarter-finals will also be held. Both semi-finals and finals will be staged on Tuesday 28th August.

No break, on Wednesday 29th August the Mixed Doubles will commence and will be played through to the final round; the final itself being held on Thursday 30th August, the day on which both the Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles events will commence.

Similar to the Mixed Doubles competition, the Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles events will be played on the knock-out formula throughout. The quarter-finals of the Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles event will be held on Friday 31st August followed by the finals on Saturday 1st September.

An exacting schedule, in Jakarata, fitness essential and no place for the faint hearted.

2018 Asian Games: Schedule of Play