The world number two beat top ranked Dimitrij Ovtcharov to win last month's World Tour Grand Finals in Astana and will be hot favourite for men's singles gold at Budapest Olympic Hall in the absence of both the German and many of his leading Chinese team-mates.

Taiwanese veteran Chuang Chih-yuan will start as second seed while Egypt's Omar Assar and Brazil's Hugo Calderano complete the top four.

German defender Ruwen Filus is seeded fifth to mean that, for one of the first times ever, the top five will span players from four different continents.

There are no other Chinese players among the seeds, but there are many unseeded outsiders from the country hoping to progress through qualification to make a name for themselves.

Qualifying began yesterday and is continuing today before first round singles action starts tomorrow.

Chinese defending champion Yan An is among the absentees.

World number one Chen Meng of China will be the hot favourite for gold in the corresponding women's singles competition.

Lee Ho-ching of Hong Kong is seeded second and Chinese defending champion Chen Xingtong is expected to be among other leading contenders.

Competition is due to conclude on Sunday (January 21).