Chinese paddlers lead 2023's first ITTF world rankings

Fan Zhendong of Shanghai serves during the men's team semifinal against Wei Shihao of Heilongjiang at the 2022 Chinese National Table Tennis Championships in Huangshi, central China's Hubei Province, Nov. 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

BEIJING, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- China's Fan Zhendong and Sun Yingsha maintained their top places in the first International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) world rankings of 2023, which was released on Tuesday.

Fan and compatriots Ma Long and Wang Chuqin completed the top three men's singles places.

Japan's Tomokazu Harimoto slipped two places to fourth, with Truls Moregard of Sweden following in fifth, and fellow Chinese paddler Liang Jingkun sixth.

The top 10 is rounded out by Hugo Calderano (Brazil), Lin Yun-ju (Chinese Taipei), Darko Jorgic (Slovenia) and Qiu Dang (Germany).

In the women's singles category, China's quartet of Sun, Chen Meng, Wang Manyu and Wang Yidi are ranked first to fourth.

Japanese duo Hina Hayata and Mima Ito are placed fifth and sixth respectively, with the top ten being rounded out by Chen Xingtong (China), Kasumi Ishikawa (Japan), Doo Hoi Kem (Hong Kong, China) and Han Ying (Germany).