Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: World Table Tennis (WTT) has officially confirmed that Saudi Arabia will host a WTT Grand Smash from 2024 onwards. The Saudi Smash will take place from May 4 to 11 at the King Abdullah Sports City and becomes the first professional table tennis event to be held in the Kingdom.Elite players from around the world will descend upon the coastal city of Jeddah on the Red Sea to compete in an electrifying event that combines the precision and skill of the world’s best table tennis with the dynamic and entertaining experience of a WTT Grand Smash, the highest tier within the WTT event structure.Under Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia's ongoing social and economic transformation, the country has become a welcoming host for some of the biggest global sports events. Now table tennis, WTT Grand Smash, follows fast in the footsteps of Formula 1, the FIFA Club World Cup, ATP Next Gen Tennis, America’s Cup Sailing Preliminary Regatta and world heavyweight boxing, having all been hosted in Jeddah recently. Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal; Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said: "By introducing Saudi Smash, we add a further new international event to our growing list of major championships, that we are honoured to host in Saudi Arabia. More events simply means more opportunities to inspire and engage our young people by giving them the chance to witness the best of the best live in action. I am confident all table tennis players, officials and fans will enjoy a truly world-class experience, which will undoubtedly grow the game to new heights in the Kingdom for years to come."The world’s best stars will compete for a prize pool of USD2,000,000, the largest ever seen at an officially sanctioned table tennis event. The Saudi Smash, like all WTT events, offers equal prize money, and the men’s and women’s singles champions will each walk away with a winner’s cheque of USD65,000 and receive 2000 ITTF Table Tennis World Rankings Points.The Saudi Smash will take place from 4 to 11 May 2024 and consists of a 64-player Men’s and Women’s Singles main draw and 24-pair main draws for Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Doubles. From 1 to 3 May, a 64-player singles qualifying will determine the 8 players who advance to the respective singles main draw competitions. Wildcard places in each of the draws will ensure that players and pairs from Saudi Arabia will be able to compete against the world’s best, develop their talent and thrill family and fans. Steve Dainton, WTT Chief Executive Officer said: "We are thrilled to host the first-ever Saudi Smash in Jeddah. Grand Smashes are WTT’s most prestigious events, and represents a significant milestone for table tennis in Saudi Arabia. We are excited to showcase the talent and excitement of our stars, and Jeddah's dynamic energy and passion for sports make it an ideal host city.”Since 2018, Saudi Arabia has staged over 100 international events for both male and female athletes including football, motorsports, tennis, equestrian, esports and golf, attended by over 2.6 million sports fans. The Kingdom is now considered one of the fastest growing countries in world sport, with sporting activity becoming an increasingly important part of daily life, especially for the Kingdom’s 20 million people aged under 30 years old.“The Saudi Table Tennis Federation is proud to announce that Jeddah has been chosen as the host city for the inaugural Saudi Smash. This is a ground-breaking event that promises to elevate the sport to new heights in the Kingdom and inspire future generations of Saudi table tennis players. We are excited to be partnering with WTT to deliver one of their marquee events and look forward to showcasing Jeddah and Saudi Arabia to the world” said Dr. Abdullah Hashim AL-BAR, President, Saudi Table Tennis Federation.Since Vision 2030 was launched in 2015, Saudi Arabia has tripled the number of official sports federations from 32 to 97 federations. Everything from kite surfing, to boxing, from beach volleyball to padel. And as a result, sports participation in the Kingdom has also tripled with more people playing more sports than ever before as part of a fitter, healthier country, with life expectancy increasing from 74 to 78 years old. “As a Federation, we want to both host and compete at the highest level, so we need to drive participation and hosting major events to showcase the sport is a critical aspect of our plans. We currently have 10 men’s singles and 5 doubles pairs in the world rankings. For some of these players to potentially play in a ‘home’ event against the world’s very best means everything to us. It’s the catalyst we need at this stage in our development. “There are 3.6million table tennis fans already in the Kingdom, of which 45% are female. At youth level we’ve got good emerging talent coming through. When you consider this, and the fact that the sport is playable all year round and requires limited infrastructure, we really have all the ingredients to grow the sport and get more Saudis playing. I’ve no doubt the Saudi Smash will accelerate our journey and help our sport grow even further.” added Dr. AL-BAR.The Saudi Smash will be a celebration of sporting excellence but also a testament to Saudi Arabia's commitment to bringing world-class sporting events to the Kingdom and promoting healthy lifestyles for all Saudis. The event aims to inspire the next generation of table tennis enthusiasts and contribute to the growth of the sport in the region. With up to four WTT Grand Smashes a year planned for the WTT calendar, Saudi Arabia joins Singapore as the second WTT Grand Smash host in 2024. "As WTT Board Chair I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Saudi Arabia for pioneering the Saudi Smash, a pivotal addition to the global World Table Tennis calendar. This initiative underscores the Kingdom's dedication to advancing the sport's reach and competitiveness. As the world eagerly anticipates the inaugural Saudi Smash, we anticipate an electrifying showcase of talent and athleticism that will resonate across continents, further propelling table tennis into a new era of prominence and excitement" said LIU Guoliang, WTT Board Chair.Grand Smashes have their own branding to celebrate and showcase their host. The Saudi Smash logo, reflecting the green of the Kingdom’s flag, depicts iconic skyline imagery from across Saudi Arabia. This logo embodies the combined desire of WTT and Saudi Table Tennis Federation to make the Saudi Smash an event for all the Kingdom.In addition to the Saudi Smash, the world’s best youth players will also head to Riyadh from 23-26 September to take part in WTT Youth Contender Riyadh, the first ever WTT Youth Series event to be held in Saudi Arabia. WTT Youth Contender events attract players from around the world competing in age groups from U11 through to U19 and establish the pathway for players to move through the WTT event pyramid and ITTF Table Tennis World Rankings. The long term hosting of the Saudi Smash in Jeddah and WTT Youth Contender Riyadh underpins the WTT and Saudi Table Tennis Federation commitment to deliver the sport’s Day One to World Number One events and playing pathway.

Sports Bulletin ReportBusan (Korea): It's Day 3 of the ITTF World Team Championships 2024 and the action is just getting started! Stay ahead of the thrilling moments happening today in Busan. We'll bring you the key moments, and exhilarating games as they unfold.In an epic showdown lasting 3 hours, the men’s teams of Team England and Team USA engaged in a fierce battle. Despite England’s resilient comeback from a 2-0 deficit, the deciding match saw the Americans emerge victorious. Nikhil Kumar clinched the win for USA, overcoming Paul Drinkhall in a thrilling encounter, ultimately securing a hard-fought triumph.Sweden beat Hong Kong, China: In a captivating Men’s Teams Group 6 clash, Team Sweden and Team Hong Kong, China delivered an exhilarating 5-set thriller. With both teams trading game victories, the tension mounted until the final match, where Anton Kallberg secured the win for Sweden against Lam Siu Hang, sealing a dramatic victory.Shin Yubin Falls, but Team Korea Prevails: Adriana Diaz celebrates her win over Shin Yubin, but it wasn’t enough for Puerto Rico to overcome the host team. Despite Adriana Diaz’s commanding win over Shin Yubin, Team Puerto Rico faced defeat at the hands of the host team, Korea Republic, with a final score of 3-1. The Koreans ultimately proved too strong for Puerto Rico, who now set their sights on their upcoming match against Malaysia, aiming for their first win of the tournament. Meanwhile, Korea Republic continues their impressive start, maintaining their momentum in the competition.Giulia Seals Win After Epic Comeback by the Brazilians: In a gripping display of resilience, Team Brazil’s Women refused to concede defeat despite trailing 2-0 to Team Luxembourg. Bruna Alexandre sparked the comeback with a commanding 3-1 win. The Takahashi sisters, Bruna and Giulia, delivered valiant performances, each securing hard-fought 3-2 victories. It was a close-fought contest that encapsulated the excitement of the ITTF World Championships.Team Madagascar Surprises with 3-1 Victory Over Nigeria: Fabio Rakotoarimanana put on a stellar display to give Madagascar a special win here in Busan. Day 3 of the competition brings early excitement as Team Nigeria faces challenges. With Quadri Aruna’s absence, their misfortunes continue as Team Madagascar delivers a stunning upset with a 3-1 win. Madagascar’s Fabio A Rakotoarimanan clinches the victory with a commanding 3-0 win over Olajide Omotayo, securing a remarkable result.

Sports Bulletin ReportBusan (Korea): The arrangements have been given final touches, as the eagerly awaited ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals Busan 2024 will get underway on February 16, 2024 here at the Busan e-Sports Arena, Korea Republic. The prestigious table tennis event will be concluded on February 25 at the same venueThe defending champions, China, occupy the top-seeded positions in both the men's and women's team events at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals Busan 2024. In the Women's Teams draw, China is placed in Group 1 with Hungary, India, Spain, and Uzbekistan. While Hungary has a long history of medalling in the championships, they will be hard-pressed to get past the defending champions. Led by World No.1 Sun Yingsha, Team China is chasing their 23rd title in the event and are frontrunners to top the podium once again.On the Men's Teams front, the world's top two players, Fan Zhendong and Wang Chuqin will spearhead China's campaign. Their first hurdles back to the podium have been set, with Croatia, Hungary, Belgium and Cuba all fighting for a place in the main draw. Croatia will prove the toughest task for World No.1 China, with the outfit led by Andrej Gacina looking for an upset win to sure up their spot in the knockout rounds.In the Men's Teams, hometown heroes Korea Republic landed in Group 3 with India, Poland, Chile, and New Zealand. The local stars will be eyeing to improve on their bronze medals won at the 2022 edition in Chengdu.Both the Men's and Women's Teams events will see eight groups of five teams looking to advance to the knockout rounds. Each match is decided by best of five singles matches, with individual matches being best of five games. Each group will play a round-robin, meaning each team faces off against the other four teams in their group. After the round-robin is completed, the top three teams from each group advance to the knockout phase. 24 teams advance in total, getting a final shot at the title. Group winners will receive seeded positions, with the rest drawn into the knockout rounds in a way that ensures teams from the same group won't meet again in the first round.

Sports DeskISLAMABAD: The 2023 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Durban has recorded an extraordinary feat, captivating a global audience of over 1 billion people. The event not only highlighted the remarkable growth and development of table tennis worldwide but also celebrated the sport's legacy in Africa. Significantly, Durban marked the first time in 84 years that the event was staged in the African continent, last being held in Cairo, Egypt in 1939. Broadcasting across 176 territories, this year's edition of the World Championships captivated audiences with a record-breaking 1,495 hours of airtime. The cumulative reach of the event stood at an impressive 1.134 billion people, while the audience totalled 526 million people, a remarkable increase of over 42% compared to the viewership of the World Championships in 2021. During this historic event, SuperSport, the exclusive broadcaster for the Africa region, played a pivotal role in bringing the world-class table tennis action to African fans. They provided an ideal platform for viewers to support the African stars and witness unforgettable moments, including Omar Assar's triumphant advancement to the quarterfinals—a momentous achievement for the continent. SuperSport's coverage is a testament to the sport's remarkable growth in the region and globally. The milestones extended well beyond traditional media, as the event garnered overwhelming success across multiple social media channels. The digital strategy to create content tailored to diverse audiences on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Weibo, and YouTube was evident. Moreover, the ITTF and World Table Tennis provided fresh and distinctive content daily, showcasing both the action around the table and behind the scenes, resulting in a wider event reach and stronger connections between players and their fan base. Social media also played a pivotal role in enhancing the event's prominence, with Instagram posts receiving 86% more views than the 2021 ITTF World Championships Finals. YouTube content saw a substantial surge in popularity, recording 36% more views and an impressive 136% increase in watch hours. Additionally, the event experienced an 86% surge in interaction on Weibo, China's flagship social networking site, further demonstrating its global appeal. The World Championships in Durban also left a remarkable digital footprint, as pageviews on the WTT website surpassed those recorded during the 2021 edition of the event. Reflecting on this milestone, Steve Dainton, ITTF Group CEO, said:"The ITTF World Championships Finals Durban 2023 truly showcased the global growth of table tennis, with a special emphasis on its remarkable expansion in Africa. This historic event not only mesmerized over 1 billion viewers worldwide but also forged an enduring legacy for the sport within this vibrant continent. This unprecedented viewership is a resounding validation of ITTF's unwavering commitment to fostering and developing the game on a global scale, ensuring that the joy of table tennis continues to reach and unite fans across the globe, with Africa playing a pivotal and integral role in this flourishing journey.”  

Sports Bulletin ReportDurban (South Africa):-Chinese duo Chen Meng and Wang Yidi claimed the W.J. Pope Trophy for Women’s Doubles after winning the final in three straight sets (11-8, 11-7, 12-10) over Republic of Korea's Shin Yubin and Jeon Jihee in Durban South Africa on Saturday.Despite the strong start by Shin and Jeon, the Chinese pair’s relentless attacks proved too much for their Korean opponents to handle. In the wake of their triumph, Chen Meng and Wang Yidi expressed their gratitude to their travelling supporters and dedicated the win to them. Chen Meng said, "I honestly did not expect to win this title, but Yidi and myself worked very hard together with the coaches and we are very happy to have won. We would like to thank all our fans who were present to cheer us on today.”  China continued its dominance at the World Championships Finals as top seeds Fan Zhendong and Wang Chuqin lifted the Iran Cup Men’s Doubles Trophy after the Chinese pair successfully overcame a slow start to chalk up three games without response against Republic of Korea’s Jang Woojin and Lim Jonghoon (13-11, 11-6, 11-5). Jang and Lim, who had narrowly missed out on the title at the 2021 World Championships Finals in Houston, could not one up their performance in the current instalment and succumbed to the top seeds. The Korean duo had the upper hand going into the first game, racing to a 7-3 lead, but eventually succumbed to the top seeds. On their win, Wang Chuqin said, "I felt that Fan Zhendong and I played very well in the Men's Doubles final. In the first set, we had a nice comeback after a very difficult situation. At this World Championships, Fan Zhendong and I have gradually found our own style in cooperating with each other, and I could feel our understanding and communication improve with each game." 

Sports Bulletin ReportDurban (South Africa):-As many as 128 players will take part in the singles event, as the draw for the prestigious ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Durban 2023 took place today, marking a historic moment as the event returns to African soil for the first time in 84 years.The draw, held at a local hotel, unveiled the paths that 128 players in Men's and Women's singles, along with 64 pairs in each of the doubles categories, will navigate in their pursuit of glory. The straight knockout format also promises exciting match ups from the opening day on 20 May till 28 May. For the Men’s singles, there could an early rematch of the 2021 final as defending champion Fan Zhendong (CHN) and Truls Moregard (SWE) were seeded in the same side of the draw. Continental hopes for Africa will rest on top players Quadri Aruna (NGR) and Omar Assad (EGY). Aruna has a potential matchup with Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) in the quarter-finals; while he dispatched the fourth seed with ease at the Singapore Smash 2023, all eyes will be on him to pull off another upset in Durban to bring glory to Africa. Host nation South Africa champion Theo Cogill will start his campaign against Kao Cheng–Jui from Chinese Taipei while the youngest member of the South African team, 18-year-old Dean Levy, will take on another African star, Senegalese Ibrahima Diaw in the first round of the men’s singles.  Dean Levy, who was present at the seeds draw, said:“I am excited to attend my first World Championships in my country, especially in the presence of top-class players. Witnessing the draw was an interesting experience for me and I hope I can set a record as the first South African to go beyond the first round of the World Championships. It is indeed a privilege for me to represent my country in such a big tournament and I look forward to giving my best.”