AFP

DORTMUND (GERMANY) JAPAN and host Germany both began their assaults on the men’s title at the world team table tennis championships with straightforward victories on Sunday in their group matches.

With defending champions China starting off against Greece on Sunday night in Group A, Germany swept aside the Czech Republic in Group B, with Timo Boll opening with a 3-0 win over Dmitrij Prokopcov.

Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov also beat Antonin Gavlas in consecutive games by the same margin before Patrick Baum was taken to five games by Petr Korbel before earning a 3-2 win.

Germany took the silver medal at the world team championships two years ago in Moscow, when they lost to China in the final.

Japan, who shared the bronze medal with South Korea in 2010, started Group D with a 3-0 win over Belarus, as Seiya Kishikawa and Jun Mizutani enjoyed 3-0 victories and only Kenji Matsudaira was taken to five games for a 3-2 win in his match.

The Koreans start in Group C against Chinese Taipei.