Chinese top seeds at world champs

Chinese paddlers have pocketed the top seed positions of all five events at the upcoming 2007 World Table Tennis Championships, according to the tournament organizer.

Sina.com reports the world number one Ma Lin was seeded first in the men's singles competition, ahead of compatriot Wang Liqin and German top gun Timo Boll, who were placed second and third respectively.

Other Chinese athletes including Wang Hao and Chen Qi were also seeded.

Zhang Yining was unchallenged as the top seed in the women's singles event with Wang Nan, Guo Yan, Guo Yue and Li Xiaoxia filling the second to fifth spots.

Remaining places in the women's top ten were shared by players from Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.

In addition, Chinese players captured all the top seeds in the doubles competitions: the Olympic men's doubles champions, Ma Lin and Chen Qi were named as top seeds, as were defending champions Wang Nan/Zhang Yining and Wang Liqin/Guo Yue in the women's doubles and mixed doubles respectively.

This year's championships will open in Zagreb, Croatia on Monday