Canada ends American dream for the ITTF World Team Cup

Canada rounds up North American qualifications for the prestigious ITTF World Team Cup that will be held in Dubai in 2015, by clinching both the Men and Women's Team titles at the 2014 ITTF-North American Championships, which concluded on 1 September 2014 in Mississauga, Canada.

The ITTF World Team Cup is a bi-annual world title tournament involving top teams beside all the Continental Team Champions. The 2014 edition will be held in Dubai on 8-11 January 2015, and is highly anticipated by all.

The host country also swept the Men's and Women's Singles titles to claim all four gold medals in the category, with Eugene WANG (CAN) successfully defending his title in the Men's Singles, and Mo ZHANG (CAN) repeating her success at the 2014 ITTF-North American Cup two months back.

After winning the Women's Singles and Team matches, a delighted Mo ZHANG stated: "I played very well and it has been a great tournament."

Beating her compatriot LUO Anqi (CAN), who just returned from the Youth Olympic Games, 4-2 (11-7, 10-12, 12-10, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8) in the Women's Single finals, the top seed also added: "Winning Gold in the Women's Team and Singles event was expected, especially in the Singles event. But you never know what can happen in a Team event with 3 players. The new plastic ball feels great and because it is a little bit slower, it gives me more time to play my game. Now I am getting ready for the Women's World Cup in Linz, Austria. Of course I want to win, but for now I am trying to give my best."

Defending champion Eugene WANG (CAN), who overcame Timothy WANG (USA) 4-1 (11-7, 11-4, 11-8, 10-12, 11-3) in the Singles finals, shared: "It has been a great tournament, the gym setup was very well, good organized and I was ready to win. My expectations were to defend my title and I did it. Adjusting to the new plastic ball was not too hard and I like it, it gives me more time."

Seniors events to the Canadians, it was the American's time to shine in the U18 events, as they claimed all titles in the category.

By winning the Juniors Team events, the American Junior Boys' and Girls' Teams have qualified as North American's representatives to the 2014 World Junior Championships in Shanghai later this year.

In the Junior Singles events, 12-year-old Crystal WANG (USA) overcame fellow countrywomen Amy WANG (USA) 4-2 (11-8, 10-12, 11-8, 4-11, 11-3, 11-7) to take Junior Girls' gold; 11th seeded, 14-year-old Jack WANG (USA) defeated the 4th seeded Filip ILIJEVSKI (CAN) 4-3 (11-6, 7-11,11-9, 14-16, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9) in the Junior Boys' Singles.

The Canadian Men and Women's Team will join the respective Continental Team Champions in the upcoming World Team Cup in Dubai:

ZEN-NOH 2014 World Team Table Tennis Championships, Tokyo (Japan), 28 April - 5 May 2014

Men's Team:

1.China

2.Germany

3.Chinese Taipei

4.Japan

5.Austria

6.Korea Republic

7.Portugal

8.Singapore

Women's Team:

1.China

2.Japan

3.Singapore

4.Hong Kong

5.Korea DPR

6.Romania

7.Germany

8.Netherlands

ITTF-Latin American Championships, Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), 1 - April 2014

•   Men's Team: Brazil

•   Women's Team: Brazil

ITTF-Oceania Championships, Bendigo (Australia), 16 - 21 April 2014

•   Men's Team: Australia

•   Women's Team: Australia

Quick Links:

•   Media Kit: http://bit.ly/1nQO2lH

•   Results, Schedule: http://bit.ly/2014NAChamps

•   Editorial Photos: http://bit.ly/1B9r81h

•   Upcoming ITTF events: http://bit.ly/1bicxrF