Doha, Qatar: Doha will host a series of four top-notch World Table Tennis (WTT) tournaments which will see many elite players in action next month, the Qatar Table Tennis Association (QTTA) announced yesterday.
The series begins with the high-profile WTT Finals Men 2023, where the world’s top ranked players will vie for ultimate glory from January 3-5, 2024. Subsequently, the action will continue with the WTT Star Contender and WTT Contender tournaments, culminating in the WTT Youth Contender event providing platforms for emerging talents and seasoned athletes to showcase their prowess.
Chairman of the Supreme Organising Committee for the event, Khalil Al Mohannadi made the announcement during a press conference held at Al Bidda Tower yesterday, where Vice-Chairman of the Organising Committee Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, and Tournament Director Ali Al Muftah were also present.
Qatar Table Tennis Association President and Chairman of the Supreme Organising Committee for the events Khalil Al Mohannadi (centre), Tournament Director Ali Al Muftah (left) and Vice-Chairman of the Organising Committee Mohammed Abdullah Saleh during a press conference yesterday.
“Doha will not just host the world class players during these tournaments as many top officials and delegations from around the world will be visiting here in January. The series of tournaments marks an important stage for Qatar table tennis, showcasing its status as host of major competitions,” Al Mohannadi, who is also the President of the Qatar, Arab and Asian Table Tennis Federations and the First Vice-President of the International Federation, said.
The competitions will commence at the Lusail Multi-Purpose Sports Hall with the WTT Finals Men which will feature the world’s top 16 players, including Chinese stars like Ma Long and Fan Zhendong, Japanese prodigy Tomokazu Harimoto and Brazilian sensation Hugo Calderano, who will compete based on their global rankings.
“Increasing the thrill, the four tournaments boast a collective prize fund of approximately $750,000, with each winner securing a portion of this substantial reward,” Al Mohanndi said.
A total of 700 players will be in action throughout the events, including the elite group of 16 top seeds competing in the WTT singles finals and world’s best eight doubles players.
The Doha events also mark the transition between seasons, concluding the 2023 World Table Tennis campaign with the Tour Finals before moving on to the 2024 season with the WTT Star Contender tournament which is scheduled for January 8-13. Following the WTT Star Contender, the excitement on court will continue with the third tournament, the WTT Contender which will run from January 14-20. The series culminates with the WTT Youth Contender, taking place from January 22-25 as Doha sets the stage for budding stars and the next generation of champions.
“For one whole month, Qatar will become the center stage for the global table tennis community,” Al Mohannadi said.
Al Mohannadi added the participation in the tournaments will also give the players opportunity to earn valuable point which contribute to their rankings in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics and World Championships, adding that the events will also serve as a rehearsal for Qatar’s hosting of the 2025 World Cup.
