-Olympic Champion Ding Ning and 2017 Women's Champion Bernadette Szocs meet in 
first round battle as the world's Top 16 Men's and Women's players converge in 
Johor Bahru-

The world's top players are set to do battle as T2 Diamond returns to the 
T2Cavern at Iskandar Malaysia Studios in Johor Bahru.

T2 Diamond is organized in collaboration with the International Table Tennis 
Federation (ITTF) and features the world's Top 16 men's and women's players. 
The opening leg -- Seamaster T2 Diamond 2019 Malaysia -- will take place from 
18 - 21 July 2019. 

Men's top seed Ma Long will begin his campaign against France's Simon Gauzy, 
who replaced injured Timo Boll in the draw. On the women's side, the Round of 
16 will feature a mouth-watering clash between Olympic champion Ding Ning 
against 2017 T2 APAC women's champion Bernadette Szocs.

A top prize money of US$100,000 awaits the male and female champions. T2 
Diamond will carry a prize purse of US$500,000 for each of the three events.

Under a new match format, a 24-minute match clock will operate and matches 
played to 11 points (with no tie-breaks or two-point differential) in a 
best-of-seven format. If no result is determined at the 24th minute mark, a 
FAST5 format will be introduced with the first player to five points winning 
the game. Existing games in progress at the 24th minute mark will continue to 
11 points. Any remaining games that commence after the 24th minute mark will be 
played as FAST5 games.

Coloured rubbers will also be allowed, with defending women's champion Szocs 
the first to seize on this new ITTF initiative by going with pink rubber for 
one side of her bat. Other players are expected to follow suit as the season 
progresses.

Mr Frank Ji, Chairman of T2 Diamond and Special Adviser to ITTF President said: 
"From T2 APAC and its innovative team play, we now move the competition a notch 
higher. Our T2 Diamond format means players will need to be at their very best 
to win and we expect fans to be treated to table tennis of the highest quality."

For more information about T2 Diamond 2019, daily match reports and photos, and 
match streaming, visit our website at www.t2diamond.com.

For more information:
media@t2apac.com 

source: T2 Diamond Table Tennis League