In the first match, Martin Allegro, 96th in the world, had to lower the flag to Chih-Yuan Chuang, 16th player in the world, 3 sets to 1 (11-3, 13-11, 4-11, 11-6). Cédric Nuytinck (ITTF 104) then restored the equality by surprising Cheng-Ting Liao, 80th in the world, in three sets: 11-5, 11-9, 11-4.

Adrien Rassenfosse (ITTF 171), 19, for his first Worlds, won against Yan-Cheng Huang (ITTF 287) 3 sets to 1 (12-10, 8-11, 13-11 and 11-7). The Verviétois has already signed good performances on the senior circuit, notably winning the Euro against the Frenchman Simon Gauzy, then 27th in the world, in August.

Cédric Nuytinck played in turn against Chih-Yuan Chuang renewing a great performance with a success 3 sets to 1 (11-8, 16-14, 5-11 and 11-8).

The Belgians will meet again in Singapore on Sunday (10 a.m. Belgian time) and Croatia (4 a.m.) on Monday. Thirty-two teams have been divided into seven groups for these Worlds, which have returned to the calendar for the first time in four years. The first two of each group and the two best thirds qualify for the round of 16 (knockout).

The Belgian team is coached by Martin Bratanov from the French-speaking wing, his counterpart from the Flemish wing Bojan Tokic having been ill.

At the 2018 Worlds in Halmstad, Sweden, Belgium were beaten in the first round of the draw for places 13-20. The Belgian men’s team had been world runners-up in 2001 in Osaka and reached the semi-finals of the 1991 Worlds in Chiba, also in Japan.