Kaden Xu will not play in the New York Slice’s opening weekend matches due to a minor injury, league sources tell Table Tennis TV.
A timeline for Xu’s return is not yet clear, but Slice coach Adam Hugh said he will be out for “the next little while.” Xu’s teammate Jishan Liang will replace him for the Slice’s three matches this weekend.
“While it doesn’t appear to be a long-term setback, we made the decision to hold [Xu] out of this match for his health,” Hugh said. “Thankfully, Jishan was able to step in on short notice to fill the spot.”
The Slice selected both Xu and Liang in the 2025 MLTT Expansion Draft in April. Xu came from the Bay Area Blasters, and Liang last played for the Princeton Revolution.
Xu was drafted by the Florida Crocs in the second round of the 2024 MLTT Draft, and he made a name for himself after helping the Blasters make the playoffs last season. Liang, a former member of the United States National Team, will wear a different uniform from Princeton for the first time in his MLTT career.
The Slice are one of two expansion teams this year, alongside the Atlanta Blazers. New York took Olympic medalist Koki Niwa with the second pick in the 2025 MLTT Draft.
The Slice will play their first match in team history on Friday at 4:00 p.m. against the Crocs, which will be exclusively streamed on Table Tennis TV. Sign up on tabletennis.tv and use the promo code “MLTT30” for 30 days free.
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