Timo BOLL forced to withdraw in Lausanne

Illness caused the unexpected exit of Germany’s star Timo BOLL. Seeded no. two was focused of getting his place for Liebherr Men’s World Cup to be staged later in the year in Düsseldorf, but this morning he was forced to withdraw from the DHS 2014 Europe ,

Illness caused the unexpected exit of Germany’s star Timo BOLL. Seeded no. two was focused of getting his place for Liebherr Men’s World Cup to be staged later in the year in Düsseldorf, but this morning he was forced to withdraw from the DHS 2014 Europe Cup.

“He was up all night due problems with stomach virus. BOLL is totally exhausted and even he will not be able to travel with us tonight. He has to stay and hopefully catch the plane tomorrow,” said coach Jorg ROSSKOPF. Host nation of the forthcoming Liebherr Men’s World Cup might see both best German players at the Event yet.

“Dimitrij OVTCHAROV will certainly qualified and we will have opportunity to receive the wild card. Is it essential that we have both players at the event in Dusseldorf.”

Timo BOLL finished in sixth place, one place behind Alexander SHIBAEV but ahead of Panagiotis GIONIS of Greece and Portugal’s Tiago APOLONIA. In the contest to determine seventh and eighth places, Panagiotis GIONIS beat Tiago APOLONIA.

System of qualifications for the LIEBHERR World Cup

A total of 20 players qualify for the Men’s World Cup, the same for the Women’s World Cup. One place in each competition is reserved for the incumbent World champion; likewise there is one “Wild Card” offered at the discretion of the International Table Tennis Federation.

Also, there is one place reserved for the host, provided that no player from that association had already qualified via the Continental Cups. Each of the six continents – Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, Oceania – holds a Continental Cup or equivalent. Players finishing in the top three places in Asia and Europe qualify for the World Cup tournament, the players concluding matters in first place in Africa, Latin America, North America and Oceania also book places.

The policy applies to both the Men’s World Cup and the Women’s World Cup. Thus ten players from the Continental tournaments plus the World Champion and an “ITTF World Card” qualify; one more player from the host association may be added to list.

Allocation of the remaining places is decided on World Rankings; the highest of the fourth placed players in the Continental Cups in Asia and Europe plus the highest of the second places players in Africa, Latin America, North America and Oceania gains the next place.