Chengdu to host ITTF World Tour China Open in June

This year's International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour China Open will be held in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, from June 4 to 8, with a total bonus of $230,000.

Some 144 athletes from 16 countries and regions have signed up for the championship, including Olympic champion Wang Hao, Zhang Jike, Li Xiaoxia and world champions Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen, and well-known international players Chuang Chih-yuan and Ai Fukuhara, said Lu Yuansheng, vice-chairman of Chinese Table Tennis Association.

The annual championship consists of six competitions, as follows: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, U-21 (under age 21) men's singles and U-21 women's singles, Lu said.

Tan Xuejun, director of Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Sports, said Chengdu has rich experience in hosting international table tennis events, and the city will try its best to present the audience an excellent championship as well as related cultural activities.