China are the overwhelming favourites to win the world table tennis team championship which starts here on Monday. Such is the dominance of the Chinese, who won all the titles at last year's world individual event in Shanghai, that their rivals have been forced to resort to desperate measures to counter the red tide.
Sweden are relying on 40-year-old veteran Jan-Ove Waldner to help them in their campaign.
China dominated the last team championship held in Doha in 2004.
The men's team here will be led by 2005 world champion Xang Liqin.
South Korea and Sweden will be their main rivals with the Swedes relying on Waldner who has gone back on his decision to retire which he took 12 months ago.
MEN GROUP A: China, Sweden, Denmark, Romania, Netherlands, Italy
GROUP B: South Korea, Croatia, France, Japan, Belgium, Brazil
GROUP C: Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Serbia-Montenegro, Norway
GROUP D: Hong Kong, Taiwan, Russia, Greece, Belarus, Slovakia
WOMEN
GROUP A: China, Romania, Belarus, Czech Republic, Serbia-Monténégro, India
GROUP B: Hong Kong, Hungary, North Korea, Taiwan, France, Poland Group C: South Korea, Germany, Italy, Austria, Australia, Netherlands
GROUP D: Japan, Singapore, Croatia, Russia, USA, Slovakia.
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