Thriving rivalries
Table tennis
Team China has been the dominant force in Asia, not to mention the world, for decades. Japan's fast-rising paddlers, however, stand in the way of the host's ambitions of a clean sweep in Hangzhou.
Japan's victory in the mixed doubles denied China a gold-medal sweep at the Tokyo Olympics, so the host is doubly determined to claim all the titles on offer this time around.
On the men's side, world No 1 Fan Zhendong, legendary veteran Ma Long and young talent Wang Chuqin are well-prepared for the tough challenges posed by Japan, led by Tomokazu Harimoto. Spearheading the Chinese women's squad is world No 1 Sun Yingsha and Tokyo Olympics singles champion Chen Meng, with Japanese ace Hina Hayata among those expected to present the biggest obstacle to home glory.
