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Sports / Qatar Sport

Zhang withdraws from World Tour Grand Finals

Published: 03 Dec 2016 - 02:06 am | Last Updated: 06 Nov 2021 - 09:45 pm

The Penninsula

Chinese superstar Zhang Jike has withdrawn from the Seamaster Qatar 2016 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals with an ankle injury.
The injury is the same one that forced the world number four to pull out from the recent Austrian and Swedish ITTF World Tour events last month.
The reports coming out of China state that the injury occurred when the double World Champion was filming for a reality show where he was eventually chased after by his fans who couldn't contain their excitement upon seeing him. This caused Zhang to sprain his ankle and was not able to recovering time for the ITTF World Tour Grand Finals. The injury means that the Rio 2016 Olympic Games silver medalist will have to wait another 12 months for the chance to win the ITTF World Tour Grand Finals title, the one major table tennis title eluding him in his decorated career.
Japan's Koki Niwa will now take Zhang Jike's place at the Seamaster Qatar 2016 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals which will take place in Doha from December 8 to 11.