Citizens, beware: There is a koala on the loose, terrorizing the 2020 Chinese Super League. The marsupial in question is not, however, in corporeal form, but rather serving as the spirit animal for an unlikely band of bat-brandishing ballers, d.b.a. the "ITTF World Professionals." This ad hoc committee was formed by the ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) and the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA) when they realized they had the quorum for an all-international women's team at the 2020 Chinese Super League. This supergroup consists of (pictured, left to right) the USA's Lily Zhang, Taiwan's Cheng I-Ching, South Korea's Jeon Jihee, Puerto Rico's Adriana Diaz and Hong Kong's Doo Hoi Kem. Lily Zhang was appointed team captain, and the world professionals promptly chose the koala as their mascot. With all their paperwork in order, it was time for "Team Koala" to get down to the small matter of playing in the world's toughest table tennis league. Their first-round match was against title favorites Shenzhen University. Led by world #1 Chen Meng, Shenzhen had no trouble with the ITTF World Professionals, and they remain undefeated after six rounds. After their baptism by fire, the ITTF World Professionals called upon their spirit animal, the mighty koala. Unfortunately, the sedentary beast sleeps almost 20 hours a day, and so the call went to voicemail. Realizing they were on their own, Team Koala regrouped and got back to work. In the second round, they posted a solid 3-1 win over Heilongjiang Huaxin Yonggang Club. Cheng I-Ching toasted, "Cheers to our first victory!" Channeling their inner koala spirits, it would not be their last. On day two, Team Koala overcame the Shanxi Datuhe team with an emphatic 3-0 shutout. The ITTF World Professionals cite the camaraderie between the outsiders working together as a key component of their success. "We all cheer for each other in different languages when playing at the table, so it all felt very friendly and homey," reported Doo Hoi Kem. "We all cheer 'Vamos!' when Adriana is playing, and we say 'Come on! Fighting!' when Jihee is competing, and when I-Ching plays, we say 'Jiayou!' to support," explains captain Lily Zhang. "Truly international team!" Drawing strength from their diverse backgrounds, the ITTF World Professionals have a realistic shot at advancing from the qualifying round-robin to the knockout rounds beginning Sunday. Should they defy the odds and secure the world's most prestigious league championship, they would have a certain arboreal Australian animal to thank in their acceptance speech. Chances are, however, said speech would fall on sleeping ears.

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