SCI Mag No.118 (final) by SwaythlingClub

https://swaythlingclub.com

An Incredible Journey

Sharath Kamal Achanta bids farewell in Chennai

Hugo Calderano on fire in Macao and Doha

SWAYTHLING

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Issue No.118 / July 2025

Editor & Design:

Ian Marshall

Sub Editor: Richard Scruton

Statistics:

Günther Angenendt, Matt Solt

Contributors:

Sharath Kamal Achanta, Reto Bazzi, Claude Bergeret, Tim Boggan, Mayssa Bsaibes, Francesca Bullock, Geovanny Coello, Lilamani de Soysa, Si-

mone Hinz, Scott Houston, Zdenko Kriz, Sean O’Neill, Valentina Popova, Neil Robinson, Richard Scruton, Suzie Venner, World Table Tennis, Laura Wong

Photographs: An Sungho, Malcolm Anderson, Butterfly, Mariann Domonkos, International Table Tennis Federation, Rémy Gros, Owen Hammond, Michael Loveder, Leandro Olvech, Pei-Ching Ko, Mike Rhodes, Guido Schiefer, Manfred Schillings, Stag, Table

Tennis England, World Table Tennis

Published by: Swaythling Club International

Swaythling Club

International Executive Committee: Claude Bergeret (President), Reto Bazzi (Deputy President), Jordi Serra (Secretary), Richard Scruton (Treasurer), Zdenko Kriz, Lilamani de Soysa, Gloria Wagener

THE MAGAZINE IS YOURS

A busy time since start of the year

AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY

Sharath Kamal Achanta reflects

FULL HOUSE IN MOSCOW

The achievements of Valentina Popova

STANDARD BEARERS

The passing of Maria Alexandru and Ella Zeller

THE TRAGEDY OF THE YOUNGEST EVER

Remembering Betty Henry

NEW ZEALAND, GETTING TO GRIPS

Young players receive “Future in Mind” scholarships

TOO GOOD TO MISS

Scott Houston appraises a year in office

DIFFICULT DECISION

Neil Robinson retires

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

World Table Tennis Day in Kenya

A WORLD UNITED BY TABLE TENNIS Celebrations worldwide

Tournament review: World title, World Table Tennis, Regional, Para, Masters 4 6 14 20 28 32 40 46 52 54 58 60 62

THE SWAYTHLING CLUB INTERNATIONAL OPENS DOORS IN ECUADOR

Geovanny Coello seizes the initiative

SWAYTHLING CLUB NEWS

Reunions in Prague, Geneva and Novi

Sad IN FOCUS

Claude Bergeret , President of the Swaythling Club International, welcomes the return of the magazine, she urges members to meet in convivial style and thanks all who have supported her following re-election to office at the Annual General Meeting in Novi Sad

The magazine is yours

I am glad to write this editorial; it means that our editor, Ian Marshall, is back in business after health troubles experienced since last September.

Welcome back and take care.

More members, more members

Since January we have welcomed 35 new members from throughout the world but mainly from England thanks to the dynamism of the new national representative, Jill Parker. Thank you, Jill, keep up the good work!

If everyone could follow her example and attract more members, it would be perfect! Former players, coaches, and officials (also representing Para Table Tennis), who fulfil the criteria, are most welcome.

In a similar vein, good luck to our new baby, the recent section in Ecuador, created and managed by former international Geovanny Coello. We hope to open still more new sections. Please help realise this goal.

We would like to meet all of you more often; memorably we met the Swaythling Club Czech members last April thanks to the initiative of our friend Zbynek Spacek. We welcome any such kind invitations.

From our side we will try to arrange more opportunities for members to attend the World Championships as spectators, and the World Masters Championships as guest players; on occasions

we receive invitations from kind and thoughtful organisers.

Not to forget

In order to preserve the memory, we plan to prepare a 110 page book about the history of the World Veteran Championships from creation in 1982 to the most recent edition in Rome in 2024. The book should be ready next April and launched during the ITTF World Team Championships in London, the ITTF centenary.

I sincerely hope that many of you will buy this book (a digital version will be

published), it promises to be a fantastic collection of pictures and souvenirs.

Active

Working alongside the ITTF Foundation, we aim to help people, clubs and associations in their own projects in connection with table tennis (women’s table tennis in Lesotho, possible support for a young player from Benin, Decathlon championing a girls’ table tennis programme, health conference on Alzheimer and Parkinson’s).

New Executive Committee A new Executive Commit-

tee was elected on Saturday 21st June, basically the same names as before but with one very notable addition, Spain’s Jordi Serra assumes the role of Secretary. Amongst many other positions of responsibility, he was the Tournament Director for the 1992 Olympic Games as well as the 2016 and 2023 World Veteran Championships,

Thank you for having trusted us to continue our journey.

On behalf of my colleagues, I promise that we will continue in our efforts to improve our work in

terms of quality and quantity but we need all of you.

Thank you to the three candidates who were not elected. I must tell you, do not give up; it was good to see that we had more candidates than the requested positions. It is a sign of good health of our club.

We are a real team; we work as a real team in a good team spirit.

It has been a pleasure to work together with you. Thank you so much Reto, Richard, Lila, Gloria and Zdenko.

You also know that another aim of our club is to foster international friendship and to meet frequently; this is what we are doing here right now. Of course, I would like to find more opportunities to get together but it is complicated and costly at the world level.

May I suggest and recommend you meet as often as possible at your level, whether continental, regional or national; come together, keep alive the contacts and the communication.

Thank you very much for

your presence and your support. It brings warmth in my heart and gives me the courage and the strength to continue our journey together with all of you. Thank you so much.

One more important matter, this magazine is yours. Do not hesitate to send us articles and photos about your activities at all levels, continental, regional, national and local or about some general subjects you would like to approach.

Thanks for your support, very best wishes.

Members following the Annual General Meeting in Novi Sad at the European Veteran Championships

An Incredible Journey

A farewell to the international theatre earlier this year at the WTT Star Contender Chennai in late March marked the end of the playing career for India’s Sharath Kamal Achanta; the tournament choice being most apt, reflecting his deep sense of loyalty and appreciation for the support received in the past two decades and beyond.

Defeat at the hands of colleague, 25-year-old Snehit Suravajjula, a player from a different generation, in the third round of the men’s singles event at the WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 on Saturday 29th March, marked the last occasion when we will see Sharath Kamal Achanta ply his skills in the international arena.

A home town farewell, Chennai, once known as Madras, is the city where he was born and bred, where he developed his table tennis skills, his career path very similar to the likes of Peter Karlsson, Werner Schlager and Alan Cooke; players who on the domestic scene were more than worthy opponents at junior level but never shone beyond national shores until senior days beckoned.

Achanta started playing table tennis when four years old, he was advised by his father Srinivasa Rao and his uncle Muralidhar Rao, both state level players with national coaching qualifications.

“I started very young but made my mark a bit later; I wanted to turn professional when around 14 or 15 years of age, but I was not selected for the national team until I was about 20 years old”, explained Achanta. “My breakthrough really came after I matured as a player, rather than in my early junior years, I won my first men’s singles national title just short of my 22nd birthday, soon after I represented my country at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.”

The year 2004 proved pivotal, in late June, some eight weeks prior to proceedings commencing in the Greek capital city, in Kuala Lumpur Achanta became the first In dian to win gold at the Commonwealth Championships. In a tournament first held in 1971 in Singapore, he se cured the men’s singles title, having earlier proved piv otal to men’s team success; the striking factor for those seeing him for the first time being the sheer power exerted, especially from the forehand. He was somewhat dif ferent from his national team predecessors.

Later in 2006 he won the men’s singles title at the Commonwealth Games, a tournament which has a special place in his heart; overall, seven gold, three silver and three bronze, the most re cent in 2022 in Birming ham finishing just one short of a full house.

He regained his men’s sin gles title having earlier steered India to men’s team gold, he partnered Sreeja Akula to mixed doubles success and claimed men’s doubles silver alongside Sathiyan Gnanasekaran.

RIGHT

In Chennai Omar Assar left and right Hugo Calderano joined forces with centre Sharath Kamal Achanta to play a series of exhibition matches

BELOW

Snehit Suravajjula prevailed in men’s singles round three to bring Sharath Kamal Achanta’s career to a close

“The 2006 Commonwealth Games gold is unforgettable because it marked India's arrival on the table tennis map”, recalled Achanta. “Of course, the team events where we won gold for India; those moments of camaraderie are price-

Success in Melbourne was without doubt a watershed not only for Achanta, also for India.

“The Commonwealth Games is extremely

important; it has given Indian players a huge platform to perform, gain confidence, and showcase capabilities on an international stage”, reflected Achanta. “For me personally, the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne proved a true turning point; winning gold there not only brought table tennis into the spotlight back home but also gave me the self-belief that I could compete with the best.”

A personal effect but the achievement in Melbourne had much longer and wider lasting effects.

“That victory opened doors for sponsorships, greater rec-

MY BREAKTHROUGH REALLY CAME AFTER I MATURED AS A PLAYER, RATHER THAN IN MY EARLY JUNIOR YEARS, I WON MY FIRST MEN’S SINGLES NATIONAL TITLE JUST SHORT OF MY 22ND BIRTHDAY, SOON AFTER I REPRESENTED MY COUNTRY AT THE ATHENS 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES

ognition, and more international exposure, this helped me develop further as a player. It also raised the profile of table tennis in India, inspiring a new generation of players” stressed Achanta. “Every edition of the Com-

monwealth Games since then has reinforced that importance by providing us with a chance to measure our selves against strong competitors and bring pride to the country; in many ways, the Commonwealth Games laid the foundation for India’s rise as a table tennis nation.”

Unfortunately, the future of the Common wealth Games, table tennis first appearing in 2002 in Manchester, is now in doubt; there is a dearth of bidding host cities. Glasgow will host a rather watered-down ver sion in 2026, table tennis not included.

“It’s disappointing because table ten nis has become one of the premier sports at the Commonwealth Games, especially for countries like India”, sighed Achanta. “The exposure and competition at that level has been crucial for players’ development; I hope the decision will be reconsidered for future editions.”

India has benefitted from the event as it has from another multi-sport gathering, the Asian

Games. In 2018 in Jakarta, bronze was the outcome for Achanta and his colleagues in the men’s team event as it was in the mixed doubles partnering Man-

Significantly, the first medals for India in the table tennis since the sport first appeared on the itinerary in 1958 at Tokyo; a period

Watershed moments made possible thanks to a rise in playing standards but also as a result of support from major organisations.

“The biggest factor has been the consistent support and structured approach of the Table Tennis Federation of India and the Sports Authority of India; they have played a crucial role in building a strong foundation, whether through improved coaching standards, more international exposure, or better training facilities”, stressed Achanta. “Their efforts have created a system

LEFT

Petra Sörling, ITTF

President left and right Kamlesh Mehta, for many years India’s leading player, paid tribute to Sharath Kamal Achanta at the WTT Star Contender Chennai

BELOW

Manika Batra partnered Sharath Kamal Achanta to mixed doubles bronze at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta

SHARATH KAMAL ACHANTA

Date of birth: Monday 12th July 1982

City of birth: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India (Madras)

Family: Married to Sripoorni Krishnamoorthy, daughter Suyasha aged 14 years, son Tejas Achanta, eight years old

Academic Qualifications: Bachelor of Commerce

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Commonwealth Games

2006 Melbourne Gold Men's Team (Soumyadeep Roy, Subhajit Saha)

2006 Melbourne Gold Men’s Singles

2010 Delhi Bronze Men’s Team (Amalraj Anthony, Abhishek Ravichandran, Soumyadeep Roy, Subhajit Saha)

2010 Delhi Bronze Men’s Singles

2010 Delhi Gold Men’s Doubles (Subhajit Saha)

2014 Glasgow Silver Men’s Doubles (Amalraj Anthony)

2018 Gold Coast Gold Men's Team (Amalraj Anthony, Harmeet Desai, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Sanil Shetty)

2018 Gold Coast Bronze Men’s Singles

2018 Gold Coast Silver Men’s Doubles (Sathiyan Gnanasekaran)

2022 Birmingham Gold Men's Team (Harmeet Desai, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Sanil Shetty)

2022 Birmingham Gold Men’s Singles

2022 Birmingham Silver Men’s Doubles (Sathiyan Gnanasekaran)

2022 Birmingham Gold Mixed Doubles (Sreeja Akula)

Asian Games

2018 Jakarta Bronze Men's Team (Anthony Amalraj, Harmeet Desai, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Manav Thakkar)

2018 Jakarta Bronze Mixed Doubles (Manika Batra)

Asian Championships

2021 Doha Bronze Men’s Team (Harmeet Desai, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Manav Thakkar)

2021 Doha Bronze Men’s Doubles (Sathiyan Gnanasekaran)

2023 Pyeongchang Bronze Men’s Team (Harmeet Desai, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Manush Shah, Manav Thakkar)

2024 Astana Bronze Men’s Team (Harmeet Desai, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Manush Shah, Manav Thakkar)

THE BIGGEST FACTOR HAS BEEN THE CONSISTENT SUPPORT AND STRUCTURED APPROACH OF THE TABLE TENNIS FEDERATION OF INDIA AND THE SPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA; THEY HAVE PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION, WHETHER THROUGH IMPROVED COACHING STANDARDS, MORE INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE, OR BETTER TRAINING FACILITIES

where players can focus purely on performance without worrying about external challenges.”

Moreover, support has been wide ranging, greater opportunities have been realised.

“Increased government and private sector support has ensured that players have access to international tournaments and world-class training camps”, added Achanta. “Additionally, a strong and determined group of Indian players has emerged, pushing each other to higher levels; all these factors have transformed India into a rising force in global table tennis.”

Furthermore, there has been innovation, the introduction of Ultimate Table Tennis, a franchise league played over a period of some four weeks with each team comprising

Commonwealth Championships

2004 Kuala Lumpur Gold Men’s Team (Soumyadeep Roy, Subhajit Saha, Subham Choudhary)

2004 Kuala Lumpur Gold Men’s Singles

2007 Jaipur Silver Men’s Team (Soumyadeep Roy, Subhajit Saha, Pathik Mehta )

2007 Jaipur Silver Men’s Singles

2009 Glasgow Silver Men’s Team (Soumyadeep Roy, Subhajit Saha, Pathik Mehta

2009 Glasgow Silver Men’s Singles

2009 Glasgow Gold Men’s Doubles (Subhajit Saha)

2019 Cuttack Gold Men’s Team (Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Harmeet Desai, Manav Thakkar

2019 Cuttack Silver Men’s Doubles (Sathiyan Gnanasekaran)

ITTF World Tour

2010 Egypt Winner Men’s Singles

2010 United States Winner Men’s Singles

ITTF Challenge Series

2020 Oman Winner Men’s Singles

Olympic Games

Represented India at five consecutive Olympic Games commencing in 2004 in Athens

National Championships

Winner of men’s singles a record 10 times Awards

2004 The Arjuna Award, India's second-highest sporting honour, recognizing outstanding achievements

2019 The Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award

2022 The Khel Ratna Award, India's highest sporting honour

Indian and foreign players. The concept is based on the principles of the highly successful Indian Premier League, formed in 2007, nowadays a multi-million-dollar business, the richest cricket league in the world.

“The establishment of Ultimate Table Tennis has also added great value by bringing international stars to India, providing domestic players with invaluable exposure to high-level competition”, enthused Achanta. “UTT has been a game changer for Indian table tennis; it’s brought the sport into the mainstream and provided players with high-quality matches and financial incentives; I may not continue as a player, but I would love to stay involved in some capacity, whether as a mentor, coach, or ambassador.”

Progress within India but to improve, for Achanta competing abroad was essential. For many years he played in the powerful German Bundesliga, most notably representing Borussia Düsseldorf. Not only was an opportunity provided to compete at a high level on a regular basis; also, top class practice, as well as learning from colleagues of repute all added to becoming a very complete player.

“The Bundesliga was instrumental in my growth as a player, competing week after week against some of the world’s best sharpened my technical and tactical skills, while also instilling in me the discipline and professionalism required to excel consistently at the top level”,

THE BUNDESLIGA WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN MY GROWTH AS A PLAYER, COMPETING WEEK AFTER WEEK AGAINST SOME OF THE WORLD’S BEST SHARPENED MY TECHNICAL AND TACTICAL SKILLS, WHILE ALSO INSTILLING IN ME THE DISCIPLINE AND PROFESSIONALISM REQUIRED TO EXCEL CONSISTENTLY AT THE TOP LEVEL

stressed Achanta. “It’s been a key factor in my longevity and consistency over the years.”

Quite simply, the atmosphere, the whole scenario at Borussia Düsseldorf was perfect; the memories will live long in the mind.

“One of the standout experiences was partnering world number one, Timo Boll during my time in Germany; playing alongside someone of his calibre was an eye-opener; I was able to observe up close how he prepared for matches, how meticulous he was in training, and the mental strength he displayed, especially under pressure”, reminisced Achanta. “I learnt a lot about what it takes not just to reach the top, but to stay there for a long time; his humility, work ethic, and attention to detail were inspiring, those lessons have stayed with me throughout my career. The Bundesliga environment, with its high level of competition and professionalism, really shaped me into a much more complete and mature player.”

Competing in a host of events, for Achanta it has been an incredible journey; one in which he clearly holds no regrets.

“After more than two decades at the highest level, I feel it’s the right time to step back”, stressed Achanta. “Physically and mentally, staying at peak performance requires immense effort, I want to focus more on my family and explore new opportunities within and beyond the sport, whether it’s coaching, mentoring, or promoting table tennis in India and globally.”

Make no mistake, Achanta intends to remain in volved, most significantly he is ambitious nd has a clear vision.

“One of my key goals is to set up a highperformance centre that will not only cater to regional and na tional players but also serve as a hub for talent from across the entire subcontinent” he explained. “My vision is to create a world-class train ing environment in the south of Asia, a bustling, state-of-the-art centre that can nurture future champions and offer top-

The Birmingham 2020 Commonwealth Games proved an outstanding success for Sharath Kamal Achanta

TOP LEFT

Gold: men’s team alongside left to right Harmeet Desai, Sanil Shetty, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran

LOWER LEFT

Gold: mixed doubles with Sreeja Akula

CENTRE

Silver: men’s doubles partnering Sathiyan Gnanasekaran

RIGHT

Gold: men’s singles BELOW

Timo Boll, a player for whom Sharath Kamal Achanta has the highest respect

level coaching, sports science support, and international exposure.”

Knowledge accumulated combined with the fact Achanta is very much the ideal role model, professional in the best sense of the word, suggests he will succeed.

“Mentoring young players and sharing the knowledge and experience I’ve gained over the years is something I’m deeply passionate about; I also want to contribute to putting India firmly on the global table tennis map, not just through player development but also by working to bring major international events to our country”, concluded Achanta. “Beyond that, spending quality time with my family, who have been my greatest supporters throughout this demanding journey, is a top priority; I am also open to exploring roles in sports administration and promotion, where I can continue to advocate for the growth of table tennis both in India and world-

Achanta has a great deal to offer, there is no reason why the aims should not be realised; in a wide range of fields he possesses the expertise and the respect of the table

FULL HOUSE IN MOSCOW

Mention the name Chen Jing, always she will be associated with being the first Olympic Games women’s singles champion, whisper Werner Schlager, for evermore he will be recognised for the string of match points he saved to be crowned World champion in 2003; utter Valentina Popova, it’s just the same.

Always Valentina Popova will be associated with the 1984 European Championships in Moscow, the tournament in which she completed a full house of titles.

Representing the Soviet Union, lining up alongside Narine Antonyan, Fliura Bulatova and Anita Zakharyan, she secured women’s team gold, before partnering Narine Antonyan to women’s doubles success and Frenchman Jacques Secretin to the mixed doubles top prize.

Form maintained, victory in opposition to colleague Fliura Bulatova sealed the women’s singles title.

Including her success in 1984, at the European Championships, she won nine gold, one silver and eight bronze medals.

“Each of the medals has a high value for me, but I probably value the collection of four gold medals from the 1984 European Championships in Moscow the most”, said Popova. “On the one hand, because I achieved these successes in front of a home audience; also, because for the first time in my life, in the singles final, I defeated the very difficult defender, my compatriot Fliura Bulatova. I never knew how to play against her, but everything

FACING

At the 1998 European Championships in Eindhoven

BELOW

In action at the 1999 World Championships, also staged in the city of Eindhoven

worked out for me in Moscow.”

Success in Moscow meant that to this day she is only the second player to win four gold medals at the same European Championships, the other is Zoja Rudnova, she achieved

Each of the medals has a high value for me, but I probably value the collection of four gold medals from the 1984 European Championships in Moscow the most

the feat in 1970, also in Moscow.

“The gold from the mixed in 1984 has a special value for me; before the European Championships, I changed my partner, instead of Strokatov from the Soviet national team, I formed a pairing with Frenchman Jacques Secretin”, reflected Popova. “Even without longer joint preparation and a common language, we understood each other perfectly at the table; one more thing, in Moscow 1984 I was able to do what compatriot Zoja Rudnova did at the same championship in Moscow in 1970. Not only did I win four gold medals, but I also did not lose a single match during the entire tournament, including the team competition.”

The same as Rudnova but Popova can add one further factor to her list not possessed by the late Moscow native; she claimed medals at the European Championships for two different countries. After successfully representing the Soviet Union for almost 20 years, since 1993 she has lived with her family in the Slovakian capital city of Bratislava.

Slovak citizenship gained in 1994, partnering Jaromir Truksa, at the 1994 European Championships in Birmingham, bronze was the mixed doubles end result.

Popova was born in the small

Azerbaijan town of Sumgaite, some 20 miles distant from the capital, Baku; now independent, from 1936 to 1989 the country was a republic of the Soviet Union.

“From a young age, I had a close relationship with sport, I also enjoyed swimming; when I was 10 years old, a little old to start table tennis, coach Yuri Oparin came to our school to select table tennis talents”, explained Popova. “I still don't know what attracted him, but he decided that one day I could be a good table tennis player. I still thank him for that.”

Eventually, Valentina gained selection for the Soviet Union at the European Youth Championships, her record both impressive and frustrating, time and again the runner up. In

In my youth, I felt great responsibility for the result, which often tied my hands in decisive moments; when I gained more experience and self-confidence, I was able to play even in the final matches without much stress

1975 in Zagreb, she partnered Lyudmila Bakshutova to under 15 girls’ team gold prior to losing to Yugoslavia’s Gordana Perkucin in the cadet girls’ singles final.

“Since I started playing table tennis relatively late, I also gained youth successes later, I remember clearly the first gold from the team competition at the European Cadet Championship in 1975. I won it with Lyudmila Bakshutova in the jersey of the Soviet Union”, smiled Popova. “In my youth, I felt great responsibility for the result, which often tied my hands in decisive moments; when I gained more experience and selfconfidence, I was able to play even in the final matches without much stress.”

Defeat in the final in Zagreb, it was to be the same in the junior girls’ singles in 1976 in Mödling and the fol-

ABOVE

At the 1987 World Championships in New Delhi

ABOVE RIGHT

Success at European Veteran Championships

LOWER RIGHT

Alongside Zdenko Kriz, Swaythling Club Executive Committee member at the 2014 World Masters

lowing year in Vichy. Three silver medals in a row in girls’ singles events at a European Championships; to this day the only player to gain the distinction. Also, in 1978 in Barcelona, she was a junior girls’ singles semi-finalist.

Overall, at the European Youth Championships she won five gold, three silver and two bronze, later, at the European Championships, the career record read nine gold, one silver and eight bronze.

Imposing but perhaps a little below par at the Europe Top 12, between 1978 and 1991 she played 11 times; her best ever finish third in 1978 in Prague, 1981in Miskolc and 1984 in Bratislava.

“The Top 12 tournament, in its original all play all, classic system, all in two days, did not suit me at all”, reflected Popova. “I was never physically so well prepared to handle 11 difficult matches during that time and that's why I never won the "tournament of truth."

Similarly, at a World Championships, a medal has proved elusive; in 1979 in Pyongyang, after beating Bettine Vriesekoop in the last 16 of the

women’s singles, she lost to China’s Zhang Deying. Meanwhile, in 1985 in Gothenburg, alongside Narine Antonian, she reached the women’s doubles quarter-final stage losing to eventual winners Dai Lili and Geng Lijuan.

tally strong, apart from her, the most difficult opponents for me were Fliura Bulatova, Csilla Batorfi, Olga Nemes and Otilia Badescu”

Later Valentina played in veteran events, notably winning the women’s singles 40 years at the European Veteran Championships in 2005 in Bratislava.

Bettine Vriesekoop was one of the best European players of the last century

The match against Vriesekoop was one of many testing encounters, tough contests but always fair. Memorably they confronted each of at the 1998 European Championships in Eindhoven, the round of 32. Popova was 2-0 up (2115,21-11), Vriesekoop, supported by 5,000 Dutch fans, recovered to win the next three games (21-18, 24-22, 2118). Eventually she lost to Nicole Struse in the quarters.

“Bettine Vriesekoop was one of the best European players of the last century”, said Popova. “She had no significant weakness and was also men-

“For me, the veteran championships are somewhat nostalgic returns to the times when I was active in top table tennis, I like to meet friends from the past, but I also like to make new acquaintances”, explained Popova, who currently travels to Schwechat in Austria to conduct coaching sessions, having been coach for Slovakia's youth and women's national teams.

“The fact that I train the youth practically every day in the Austrian centre in Schwechat certainly has its share in the decision to stand behind the veteran tables, I keep myself in pretty good physical condition, I would like to play veteran competitions as long as my health is good”, stressed Popova. “An example for me is my teammate from the Soviet national team, Rita Pogosova; she is 75 years old,

but she still enjoys table tennis and devotes herself to it. I also admire Ni Xi Lian from Luxembourg; she could have been playing in veterans for more than 20 years, but she is still successfully playing in regular World Championships or the Olympic Games. This is for entry in the Guinness Book of Records.”

Moreover, table tennis continues to run in the family, her son Valentin Bazenov represented Slovakia at the European Youth Championships and European Championships.

“Valentin and I often trained together, but we rarely played a mixed doubles in tournaments; the age difference is too big”, reflected Popova.

“Once we competed together in a mixed doubles at the Slovak Championships, but we didn't even get past the second round; Valentin still plays table tennis professionally and coached me in Rome. At the future World Masters Championships in South Korea, we could theoretically play mixed together, but I would have to register in the 40 plus category and I don't know if that would be reasonable.”

Mother and son team together, would that not be a first?

Whether that takes place is in the stars but should Popova compete in Gangneung, she will have a definite goal; she has never won a medal at a World Veteran Championships.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS - VALENTINA POPOVA

Representing the Soviet Union

1976 Prague Winner Women’s Team (Elmira Antonyan, Tatiana Ferdman, Zoja Rudnova)

1978 Duisburg Semi-Final Women’s Doubles (Narine Antonyan)

1978 Duisburg Semi-Final Mixed Doubles (Anatoli Strokatov)

1980 Bern Winner Women’s Team (Narine Antonyan, Lyudmila Bakshutova, Fliura Bulatova)

1980 Bern Winner Women’s Singles

1980 Bern Winner Women’s Doubles (Narine Antonyan)

1982 Budapest Semi-Final Women’s Singles

1982 Budapest Semi-Final Mixed Doubles (Igor Podnosov)

1984 Moscow Winner Women’s Team (Narine Antonyan, Fliura Bulatova, Valentina Popova, Anita Zakharyan)

1984 Moscow Winner Women’s Singles

1984 Moscow Winner Women’s Doubles (Narine Antonyan)

1984 Moscow Winner Mixed Doubles (Jacques Secretin)

1986 Prague Runner Up Women’s Team (Narine Antonyan, Fliura Bulatova, Elena Kovtun)

1988 Paris Winner Women’s Team (Fliura Bulatova, Elena Kovtun, Raisa Timofeeva)

1988 Paris Semi-Final Women’s Singles

1990 Gothenburg Semi-Final Women’s Doubles (Galina Melnik)

Representing the Unified Team

1992 Stuttgart Semi-Final Women’s Team (Galina Melnik, Irina Palina, Elena Timina)

Representing Slovakia

1994 Birmingham Semi-Final Mixed Doubles (Jaromir Truksa)

Standard Bearers

A sad time for Romania, Maria Alexandru passed away on Wednesday 27th November 2024; she was 84 years old; more recently Ella Zeller died on Saturday 8th March, 91 years of age.

Both successful at the highest level; add the name Angelica Rozeanu who died in 2006, and you have the names of the players who during their careers set the standard for future generations of Romanian female players to emulate.

Examine results at all major tournaments in post war years, time and again Romanian women are prominent. Furthermore, you only see players born and bred in the country on the team sheet. Does that not invoke a sense of pride? In the same manner, following in the footsteps of Alexandru, Rozeanu and Zeller, trying to emulate their efforts, keeping their names alive, surely adds motivation.

Endurance both when considering the length of her career and the manner in which she played, Maria Alexandru possessed endless reservoirs of concentration and determination.

Born Maria Golopenta in Plugova on Friday 30th December 1939, married in 1960, her achievements stand

Endurance both when considering the length of her career and the manner in which she played, Maria Alexandru possessed endless reservoirs of concentration and determination.

proudly in line with the very best. Successes recorded in the playing arena gives her a place in sporting history, the longevity of her career gives her a special place.

Internationally, from 1951 to 1980 she competed for a quite incredible 29 years.

She plied her skills during a period of immense change in the sport of table tennis, particularly racket coverings, from simple pimpled rubber to an era when the market was swamped with rocket fast surfaces or conversely those which neutralised opponent’s efforts.

A stalwart defender but it was attacking skills that brought a first success. Only 12 years old, hair combed in

pigtails, slightly built, she won a local tournament in Baile Herculaneu, a spa town noted for its natural healing properties, at the time a prominent Romanian resort.

FACING PAGE

Maria Alexandru left and right Ella Zeller formed a most prominent women’s doubles partnership

ABOVE

Maria Alexandru

resolute and totally focused

Soon after she joined Progresul, a well-known table tennis club in Bucharest.

Significantly, the national association recognised her talents, she was invited to training sessions and selected for the 1953 World Championships, appropriately staged in Bucharest. Only 13 years and 79 days old when play began on Friday 20th March, she was the youngest player on duty; impressively, she reached the last 16 of the women’s doubles, losing to eventual silver medallists, Diane and Rosalind Rowe.

Later, in 1956 she enjoyed success at the second ever European Youth Championships. Staged in the Croatian city of Opatija, she completed a clean sweep of available titles; only junior events held and no mixed doubles, she won the girls’ singles, having partnered compatriot Mariana Barasch to team and doubles gold.

In 1958 when the tournament was held in the

Swedish town of Falkenberg,(Romania did not compete in 1957), once again in harness with colleague Mariana Barasch, she repeated the feat; only on this occasion mixed doubles was

The successes afford Alexandru a special place in the annals of the European Youth Championships; she is the only player to have remained unbeaten in two editions of the event

on the schedule, she won partnering Gheorge Cobirzan.

The successes afford Alexandru a special place in the annals of the European Youth Championships; she is the only player to have u

World Championships

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS - MARIA ALEXANDRU

1975 Calcutta Winner Women’s Doubles (Shoko Takahashi)

1973 Sarajevo Winner Women’s Doubles (Miho Hamada)

1971 Nagoya Runner Up Mixed Doubles (Anton Stipancic)

1969 Munich Semi-Final Women’s Singles

1969 Munich Runner Up Women’s Doubles (Eleonora Mihalca)

1969 Munich Runner Up Women’s Team (Carmen Crisan, Eleonora Mihalca)

1967 Stockholm Semi-Final Mixed Doubles (Dorin Giurgiuca)

1963 Prague Runner Up Women’s Team (Ella Zeller, Maria Folea, Georgeta Pitica)

1961 Beijing Winner Women’s Doubles (Georgeta Pitica)

1961 Beijing Semi-Final Women’s Team (Maria Folea, Georgeta Pitica)

1957 Stockholm Semi-Final Women’s Doubles (Helen Elliot)

1957 Stockholm Runner Up Women’s Team (Angelica Rozeanu, Ella Zeller)

European Championships

1980 Bern Runner Up Women’s Doubles (Liana Mihut)

1978 Duisburg Winner Women’s Doubles (Liana Mihut)

1976 Prague Runner Up Women’s Singles

1974 Novi Sad Runner Up Women’s Doubles (Alica Grofova)

1974 Novi Sad Semi-Final Mixed Doubles (Anton Stipancic)

1972 Rotterdam Semi-Final Women’s Singles

1972 Rotterdam Semi-Final Women’s Doubles (Carmen Crisan)

1970 Moscow Semi-Final Women’s Singles

1970 Moscow Semi-final Women’s Doubles (Carmen Crisan)

1968 Lyon Semi-Final Women’s Doubles (Eleonara Mihalca)

remained unbeaten in two editions of the event. Furthermore, she is one of only four players to have won four titles in the same year; in junior events Sweden’s Eva Johansson was the first in 1965 in Prague, representing the Soviet Union, Elmira Antonyan completed the feat in 1974 in Göppingen; at cadet level Hungary’s Daniel Zwickl did the same in 1999 in Frydek-Mistek.

Increasingly Alexandru was seen as a player to follow in the footsteps of Angelica Rozeanu and Ella Zeller; she did not disappoint. A record established at the European Youth Champion ships, the same at the World Championships, her women’s doubles record totally unique, one that defies a line of thought amongst the wise and wonderful. The argument propounded is that a defensive player does not have a style suitable for the doubles art and certainly not when partnering a player from a different country!

At a World Championships, to this date Maria Alexandru is the only player ever to win the women’s doubles on three occasions with three different partners. Ad ditionally, she is the only player ever to win with a partner from a differ ent continent!

In 1961 in Beijing, she allied with compa-

1968 Lyon Runner Up Mixed Doubles (Dorin Giurgica)

1966 London Winner Women’s Singles

1966 London Bronze Mixed Doubles (Dorin Giurgica)

1964 Malmö Silver Women’s Doubles (Ella Zeller)

1960 Zagreb Winner Women’s Doubles (Angelica Rozeanu)

1960 Zagreb Winner Mixed Doubles (Gheorge Cobirzan)

Europe Top 12

1971 Zadar 5th Place

1972 Zagreb Runner Up

1973 Böblingen 5th Place

1974 Trollhattan Runner Up

1975 Vienna 4th Place

1976 Lübeck 4th Place

1977 Sarajevo 4th Place

1979 Kristianstad Runner Up

European Youth Championships

1956 Opatija Winner Junior Girls’ Team (Mariana Barasch)

1956 Opatija Winner Junior Girls’ Doubles (Mariana Barasch)

1956 Opatija Winner Junior Girls’ Singles

1958 Falkenberg Winner Junior Girls’ Team (Mariana Barasch)

1958 Falkenberg Winner Junior Girls’ Doubles (Mariana Barasch)

1958 Falkenberg Winner Junior Mixed Doubles (Gheorge Cobirzan)

1958 Falkenberg Winner Junior Girls’ Singles

BELOW Maria Alexandru crowned European champion in 1966

FACING

Ella Zeller left and right Maria Alexandru formed a partnership of the highest order

triot Georgeta Pitica to claim gold, in 1973 she succeeded alongside Miho Hamada, two years later in Kolkata (known at the time as Calcutta) , when 35 years of age, the oldest player in action, she prevailed with Shoko Takahashi, also from Japan. Since that date the only instance of players from different nationalities combining to win the women’s doubles title at a World Championships is in 1977 in Birmingham when DPR Korea’s Pak Yongok succeeded in harness with China’s Yang Ying.

Success when prominent Asian players competed underlines the quality of Maria Alexandru; since 1952 in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), when Japanese players first entered the arena, the only European female player to have won more than three career titles at the World Championships is Angelica Rozeanu. Furthermore, since Alexandru’s win in 1975, the only European female player to strike gold at a World Championships is Claude Bergeret of France. Partnering Jacques Secretin, she won the mixed doubles title at the 1977 World Championships

Equally finding a defensive player succeeding in partnership with a player from another country in a women’s doubles event at a World Championships is extremely rare. Notably, Austria’s Trude Pritzi and Romania’s Angelica Rozeanu each succeeded when partnering Hungary’s Gizi Farkas; the former in 1947 in Paris, the latter in 1953 in Bucharest. u

Overall, Alexandru won three gold, six silver and four bronze medals at World Championships, at the European Championships no less than four gold, five silver and 11 bronze. Also, she was the women’s singles runner up at the 1963 World Championships in Prague, being beaten in a full distance final by Japan’s Kimiyo Matsuzaki.

Later at the 1966 European Championships in London, using anti-spin rubber on the forehand, and pimpled rubber with no sponge on the backhand, she secured the women’s singles top prize at the expense of the Soviet Union’s Svetlana Grinberg.

Major success and as the years passed, there was one more of note; she won women’s singles 40 years at the 1986 World Veteran Championships in Rimini. Gold at all levels, the only piece missing in the jigsaw, the Europe

Later at the 1966 European Championships in London, using anti-spin rubber on the forehand, and pimpled rubber with no sponge on the backhand, she secured the top prize at the expense of the Soviet Union’s Svetlana Grinberg

Top 12; she came close but never won, she was the runner up in Zagreb in 1972, Trollhättan in 1974 and Kristianstad in 1979.

A most pleasant character but she was known to infuriate some adversaries. At the end of a point, she would let the ball roll to the corner of the court, walk slowly to retrieve the spherical object, ignore any protestations made

to the umpire from her adversary and in a calm and collected manner continue unabashed.

Determined and persevering, it was the same for Ella Zeller, very much a defender with quick attacking strokes when the opportunity arose.

Notably, she reached the World Championships women’s singles semi-finals on three occasions, never further. In 1956 in Tokyo, she was beaten by Kiiko Watanabe after having won the first two games, in 1957 in Stockholm, England’s Ann Haydon halted progress, later in 1963 Kimiyo Matsuzaki, like Kiiko Watanabe from Japan, ended adventures.

Creditable success but it is when partnering An-

LEFT

Silver alongside Anton Stipancic at the 1971 World Championships

CENTRE TOP

Ella Zeller in attacking mode

CENTRE BELOW

Shopping with Angelica Rozeanu in 1956 in Tokyo

RIGHT

Partnering Angela Rozeanu, World champions in 1955

gelica Rozeanu, 12 years her senior, that she enjoyed her greatest success. Away from the table the duo established a firm friendship, when competing together a telepathic understanding.

The successes gained alongside Rozeanu gave Zeller her proudest moments in the sport. At World Championships, Sari Sartz completing the line up, the top step of the podium was the order of the day in the women’s team event in 1951 in Vienna, 1953 in Bucharest, 1955 in Utrecht and 1956 in Tokyo.

Equally, partnering Angelica Rozeanu, the duo won the women’s doubles title at the World Championships in 1955 and 1956. Overall, at World Championships, Ella’s record encom-

World Championships

1963 Prague Semi-Final Women’s Singles

1963 Prague Runner Up Women’s Team (Maria Alexandru, Maria Catrinel, Georgeta Pitica)

1957 Stockholm Semi-Final Women’s Singles

1957 Stockholm Semi-Final Women’s Doubles (Angelica Rozeanu)

1957 Stockholm Semi-Final Women’s Team (Maria Alexandru, Angelica Rozeanu)

1956 Tokyo Semi-Final Women’s Singles

1956 Tokyo Winner Women’s Team (Angelica Rozeanu)

1956 Tokyo Winner Women’s Doubles (Angelica Rozeanu)

1956 Tokyo Semi-Final Mixed Doubles (Toma Reiter)

1955 Utrecht Winner Women’s Team (Angelica Rozeanu, Sari Szasz)

1955 Utrecht Winner Women’s Doubles (Angelica Rozeanu)

1953 Bucharest Winner Women’s Team (Angelica Rozeanu, Sari Szasz)

1952 Bombay Runner Up Women’s Team Angelica Rozeanu, Sari Szasz)

1951 Vienna Winner Women’s Team (Paraschiva Patulea, Angelica Rozeanu, Sari Szasz)

European Championships

1958 Budapest Winner Women’s Team (Angelica Rozeanu)

1964 Malmö Runner Up Women’s Doubles (Angelica Rozeanu)

passed six gold, three silver and five bronze. Meanwhile, at the European Championships which came a little late during her career, the record read, one gold and two silver; the pinnacle was 1958 in Budapest when securing the women’s doubles title alongside Rozeanu.

Born on Saturday 25th November 1933 in the Romanian city of Timisoara, Ella started to play table tennis when 13 years old, having earlier focused on basketball, handball and volleyball. In 1950 playing for her town team she impressed the local coach, she joined the Institute of Sports and Culture in Budapest, making rapid progress.

Ella stopped playing in 1966, graduated from the High School of Physical Culture, before becoming the head

At the European Championships which came a little late during her career, the record read, one gold and two silver; the pinnacle was 1958 in Budapest when securing the women’s doubles title alongside Rozeanu

coach for the Romanian women’s team; she sat courtside advising 14-year-old Olga Nemes to success at the 1983 Europe Top 12 in Thornaby-on-Tees, Cleveland.

She married Dan Constantinescu, a former water polo and rugby player, moving to live in Hanau, Germany. She became a member of the ETTU Management Committee, later ETTU Vice President and honorary member.

At the time of death, she was the oldest living World champion.

RIGHT Romania winners of the women’s team title at the 1955 World Championships left to right Maria Alexandru, Sari Sasz and Ella Zeller

The Tragedy of the Youngest Ever

Dinner on the Aquitania as the United States team crossed the Atlantic

LEFT

Clara Harrison, Mildred Wilkinson, Betty Henry, Capt. Morris Botsford

RIGHT

Lou Pagliaro, Sol Schiff, Bernie Grimes, George Hendry, Jimmy McClure

Whatever the outcome at the 2025 ITTF World Championships Finals in Doha, one record in particular, could not be beaten, it is the record set in 1938 in London when the tournament was organised on an annual basis and included both team and individual events.

A member of the United States team that crossed the Atlantic on the Aquitania, aged 15 years and 319 days when play began, Betty Henry secured women’s singles bronze, to this date the youngest player ever to claim a medal in the event at a World Championships; an achievement which no male player can match in the counterpart men’s singles.

The nearest rival is China’s Guo Yue, she was 16 years and 286 days old when she reached the semi-final stage at the Volkswagen 2005 World Championships in Shanghai. Memorably she beat colleague Niu Jianfeng in seven games to reach the penultimate round before Guo Yan, beaten by Zhang Yining in the final, ended ambitions.

Defeat at the hands of the silver medallist, it was the same for Betty Henry. She accounted for England’s Doris Emdin at the quarter-final stage, before losing to the Czech Republic’s Vlasta Depetrisová.

A place in the title decider, Depetrisová lost to Austria’s Trude Pritzi, a contest that proved a dour affair despite the fact it was the first World Championships to be played under the regulations instigated at the 1937 Congress, proposals designed to stop long pushing rallies. The net was reduced to a height of six inches, so-called “finger spin” services were banned, and a limit of 20 minutes was imposed for each

Betty Henry - World Championships 1938 – Women’s Singles

Round One: C.J. Edwards (Wales) 13, 6, 13

Round Two: Telma Kiek (Netherlands) 8, 6, 12

Round Three: Phyllis Hodgkinson (England) 21, -6, 13, 11

Quarter-Final: Doris Emdin (England) 9, 17, -19, -4, 8

Semi-Final: Vlasta Depetrisová (Czechoslovakia) -11, -3, -12

Final: Trude Pritzi (Austria) v Vlasta Depetrisová (Czechoslovakia) 13, 13, 17

game. Both finalists were booed, every attacking stroke sarcastically applauded.

Conversely, Betty Henry was a breath of fresh air. Additional to her women’s singles success, under the captaincy of Morris Bassford, lining up alongside Clara Harrison and Mildred Wilkinson, seventh place was gained in the Corbillon Cup. Later, partnering England’s Elizabeth Steventon the pair reached round two (last 16), losing to eventual bronze medallists, the host nation’s Phyllis Hodgkinson and Doris Jordan. Likewise, in the mixed doubles it was a second round (last 32) exit, in har-

Remarkable skills, competitive, her success on the world stage made her an inspiration for generations of American players.

ness with Jimmy McClure it was defeat when facing England’s Maurice Bergl and Jean Nicholl.

A native of South Bend, Indiana, she trained under guidance of John Varga, quickly rising to prominence as one of the most formidable players of her era. Remarkable

skills, competitive, her success on the world stage made her an inspiration for generations of American players.

Sadly, the story of Betty Henry is one of the most tragic in sport.

Married to a serviceman in September 1943, under the name Betty Henry Link she played her last tournament in Chicago later in the same year, alongside John Varga, winning the mixed doubles on Sunday 12th December.

She died of cancer on Sunday 10th September 1944, only 22 years old.

Posthumously, Betty Henry Link will be introduced into the Athlete Category at the official United States Hall of Fame Induction Dinner on Thursday 6th November 2025, in El Monte, California. The event will be organised under the leadership of Sean O’Neill, President of the United States Table Tennis Hall of Fame and administered locally by the Los Angeles Table Tennis Association.

Smartly dressed for the occasion, an example for all modern day teams

LEFT TO RIGHT Jimmy McClure, George Hendry, Clara Harrison, Betty Henry, Bernie Grimes, Mildred Wilkinson, Capt. Morris Bassford, Sol Schiff, Lou Pagliaro

BETTY HENRY

New Zealand GETTING TO GRIPS

A bright future, brighter than ever before?

Announced in March, Eli Ho, 13 years old and Ayumi Moriyama-Picard, 15 years old, were both included in the International Table Tennis Federation’s “With the Future in Mind” scholarship programme for 2025. It is the first time, New Zealand has witnessed two players selected in the same year.

Both live in Auckland, although Eli Ho originates from Hamilton where when only five years old, under the direction of his father, John Ho, he started to play table tennis in his garage. Each day he practises two hours, on average 14 hours per week.

In 2024, Eli dominated the New Zealand Junior Open Championships, in the under 13 age group he won the boys’ singles and boys’ doubles (Lucas Alexander), in the under 15 age group the boys’ singles, boys’ doubles (Tushan Engineer) and mixed doubles (Ayumi Moriyama-Picard).

More significantly, he emerged successful at the New Zealand Hopes

Moreover, not only did he qualify; he won the boys’ singles event to become the first player from Oceania ever to achieve the feat!

Week, followed by the ITTF-Oceania Hopes Challenge in Melbourne; thus, gaining a place in the ITTF World Hopes Challenge staged in Paraguay in November. Moreover, not only did he qualify; he won the boys’ singles event to become the first player from Oceania ever to achieve the feat!

Furthermore, earlier this year in April he captured both the under 15 and under 13 boys’ singles titles at the WTT Youth Contender San Francisco II tournament!

Dedicated, it is exactly the same for Ayumi Moriyama-Picard, a young lady with a talent in a rather different discipline, an aspiring player who

Ayumi Moriyama-Picard Blade: Butterfly Innerforce Super ALC

Forehand: Hurricane Neo

Backhand: Butterfly Dignics 05

found a way despite being hampered by events totally outside her control.

“I began playing table tennis at the age of nine, prior to that, I had a strong background in karate, winning several national and international titles”, she explained. “I first played table tennis in Auckland during a school holiday programme, but shortly after I started, we entered lockdown, so I played on the dining table at home.”

Time flies! Is it really now over six years since in January 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic was officially announced! Credit to Ayumi Moriyama-Picard, she proved that where’s there a will, there’s a way.

“Currently, I practise one to three hours each day, six days per week; I have two Auckland team trainings a week, interclub once a week, private coaching, service practice and work as a training partner for the younger kids”, added Ayumi. “I have to combine practising

with schoolwork; my study is quite demanding, I sometimes feel slightly behind, so I create a schedule, stay organised and consistent in both table tennis and academics.”

Similarities but there is one major difference, the way they hold the table tennis racket, Ayumi employs the traditional shake hands grip, for Eli it is very different.

“At the age of six and a half, I changed to the Tiger Wing style invented by my dad in August 2018”, explained Eli. “The grip is a hybrid between the traditional Japanese pen-hold and the shake hand grips. It is unique and always gives the opponents surprise.”

Watching Eli Ho execute attacking strokes, using the same side of the racket when the ball is returned to either his forehand or backhand side takes you back to a bygone era, the 1970s, in particular, Danny Seemiller of the United States, who owns the unique privilege of having the grip named after him.

THE INNOVATIVE

TOP LEFT

Forehand service, very much executed in the modern day traditional mode

TOP RIGHT

The backhand using long pimples, note the very different grip to the norm

LOWER RIGHT

The same side of the racket is used for both forehand and backhand top spin strokes

VIDEO Eli Ho practising

TECHNIQUES OF ELI HO

Eli Ho Blade: modified SWORD C-Magic Forehand: Tibhar K3 Black(2025) Backhand: Tibhar Grass D. TecS “ACID”

THE GRIP IS A HYBRID BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE PEN-HOLD AND THE SHAKE HAND GRIPS. IT IS UNIQUE AND ALWAYS GIVES THE OPPONENTS SURPRISE

However, the way he held a table tennis racket was very different to that of Eli Ho.

Left-handed, he used what could be considered a conventional shake hands grip but adjusted from the norm, he wrapped the forefinger around the side of the racket. The technique enabled a very strong forehand; various refinements followed with players appending anti-spin rubber to the opposite side of the racket to create changes of spin. Added to the confusion factor was the fact that in those days the rules stated the racket covering had to be the same colour on both sides.

The common factor is that both followed the principle of turning the racket 90° so the same side is used for the forehand and backhand.

Later two further notable exponents pursued the principle but as with Eli Ho, the grip varying to meet their respective needs. Marie-Christine Roussy, who represented Canada at the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Olympic Games and Elia Schmidt, present for Switzerland at the World Championships in Suzhou

attacking principles of the “Seemiller” grip.

Playing at the speed of light, Eli executes attacking

Now, the burning question is to determine any possible weakness, keep thinking, nothing immediately strikes the brain; in fact, one wonders is the conclusion it is the very opposite!

The variety of spin received by the opponent forces errors; also, the weakness of what may be termed the crossover point, when in top spin mode the player must decide between forehand and backhand, is reduced.

One wonders what riches lay in store for the bright young Kiwi; however, one factor is beyond dispute. In an age when the majority of players are of a very similar style, the pen holder and defender in the minority, Eli Ho makes heads turn.

He is different, surely that is good not only for New Zealand but also for the sport of table tennis.

FACING

Danny Seemiller reached no.19 on the men’s world rankings. Note the forefinger wrapped over the edge of the racket

TOP RIGHT

Marie-Christine Roussy represented Canada at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games

LOWER LEFT

Elia Schmidt was on duty at both the 2015 World Championships and 2016 World Team Championships

TOO GOOD TO MISS

The Chief Executive Officer for Table Tennis Australia from September 2017 to June 2023, Scott Houston planned to take a break from the sport and pursue different avenues but then came an opportunity that was too good for the 41-year-old to miss. The role of Chief Executive Officer for ITTF-Oceania became vacant, he applied for the position, was appointed and assumed office officially in June 2024.

Most certainly, he has not let the grass grow under his feet. Born in Adelaide where he still lives, mar-

ried to Becky, sons Billy 10 years old, Henry six years of age, he has overseen a host of activities in the past 12 months. A new Constitution has been established, the Oceania Development Program has been relaunched, Tahiti’s Ocean Belrose and Hongbo Liang, originally from China but now resident in Australia, have been appointed Oceania Development Officers. Notably, a host of courses, varying in nature, have been realised.

Scott Houston reflects on one year in office.

Prior to assuming the role of Chief Executive for Table Tennis Australia, you occupied the position of Oceania Development Officer; what did you learn from the experience?

Oceania is a beautiful and unique part of the world with three main regions - Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia - comprising 24 countries and territories. There is a significant difference in size and scope of all Oceania areas, ranging from big countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea to small territories such as Tokelau, Norfolk Island and Niue.

Table tennis has and will continue to make a positive contribution to the Oceania region as a vehicle for positive change, there are people who love table tennis in each region.

The biggest lesson I learnt through my role as Oceania Development Officer was that in Oceania personal contact and relationships are pivotal. Without this, it is very difficult to succeed, but once you’ve developed relationships, ideally through face-to-face interactions, there is endless potential.

As the Oceania Development Officer what gave the most satisfaction?

Working as Oceania Development Officer between 2009-2011 was a fantastic experience and opportunity, both professionally and personally. The job provided me with a wide range of skills that has served me very well in the years that have followed.

It was necessary to be a real allrounder and it was commonplace for a typical day to comprise of running school visits in the morning, conducting a coaching course after lunch, running a national team training session in the afternoon and having dinner with an Embassy or National Olympic Committee official.

The most satisfying elements throughout my tenure include, but are not limited to: Securing Norfolk Island, Tokelau and Wallis & Futuna as ITTF Members. These were the final territories who were yet to affiliate and ensured that all 24 Oceania countries/territories are now members. Table tennis remains as the first and only sport to achieve this in Oceania.

Conducting 37 courses across 23 countries/territories, resulting in hundreds of new coaches and officials being upskilled and thousands of people participating in table tennis.

Significantly boosting participation at Oceania events.

Playing a small part in talent identification initiatives with junior athletes, many going to win Pacific Games medals and the top few representing their country at pinnacle events such as the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games.

Helping ITTF to launch a fully professional ITTFOceania Cup in 2011, which set a new benchmark in terms of presentation and professionalism for events in the region at the time.

FACING

Scott Houston appointed the Chief Executive for Oceania in June 2024

LOWER Representatives from Oceania met with Petra Sörling, ITTF President, at the 2025 World Championships in Doha to approve a new constitution

NEW ZEALAND

Staff induction and training sessions were held under the direction of the Auckland Table Tennis Association in New Zealand from Monday 24th to Thursday 27th February. Mikael Andersson, ITTF Sports Development Director, led proceedings; he was supported by Scott Houston, Ocean Belrose, Hongbo Liang and Cherry Harvey, ITTFOceania Smash Down Barriers Program Manager.

DIFFICULT DECISION

A debut in the Paralympic Games in 1992 in Barcelona, since that date involved as player, then coach, Francesca Bullock reflects on the outstanding career of a sporting icon

Neil Robinson, winner of seven Paralympic medals as an athlete before becoming an integral part of the British Para Table Tennis coaching team has announced his retirement; the decision follows an incredible career during which he represented Great Britain in 11 Paralympic Games, seven as an athlete and four as a coach.

“This is a very difficult decision given my longterm involvement with British Para table tennis,” said Robinson, “but I feel the time has come to retire and have the flexibility to spend more quality time with my family, even more so now that my wife Karen and I are grandparents. I love the sport of table tennis so I intend to stay involved and to continue working with BPTT when required and I will look at helping to develop established and new players individually.”

Robinson was training in the electrical field at Bridgend College, with the ambition of joining the Merchant Navy, when he was a passenger in a car accident at the age of 18 that left him wheelchair bound and changed the course of his life.

After taking up table tennis during rehab he went on to become one of Britain’s most successful Paralympians, representing his country as an athlete in seven Games, winning seven medals including gold in the men’s class 3 team event in Barcelona in 1992, and was European champion and World number one.

In 2012 he received an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for his services to the sport.

Having retired from playing after the Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2008, Robinson was asked to help prepare the British Para table tennis players for the challenge of a home Games in London 2012 under the direction of new Performance Director Gorazd Vecko.

“To be honest I tried to convince him to play again,” said Vecko, “but he said no. When I started in 2009 the target of four medals in London after no medals in Beijing seemed like mission impossible so I was trying to convince Neil to start playing again so that we could have a good chance for at least one medal. But Neil stayed on as a coach and he made huge progress with players especially in Wales but

also in Sheffield and contributed to a massive improvement in the wheelchair players.

“With his experience and his knowledge especially about the wheelchair game it was massively important to keep him involved in the sport that he loves. We have different coaches with different personalities and Neil Robinson is the gentleman coach. How he approached everything was totally different to other coaches and he brought so much positive energy to the team. We started to develop the family structure, and he was a big part of that because he was like a father figure to the athletes - taking care of them, trying to make everything right for them and to support them in the best possible way.”

With several Welsh players in the British squad Robinson set up a centre at the Welsh Institute of Sport in Cardiff with a professional training environment where the Welsh players could benefit from top quality coaching on a full-time basis in between training camps at the BPTT base in Sheffield.

LEFT

Neil Robinson at the 2023 European Para Championships

BELOW RIGHT

Neil Robinson in action at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games

“This was really important,” said Vecko. “When we started with the new structure the Welsh players came to Sheffield for a training camp and for the rest of the time there was no coaching in Wales at the highest level. When I look back, I think that Neil was a huge part of every medal that was achieved by a wheelchair player from Wales over the last 15 years. He coached Paul Davies to win a bronze medal in London and also Tom Matthews to take bronze in Tokyo 2020. These are the two biggest achievements for Neil and although he wasn’t in the corner with Rob Davies when he won gold in

Francesca Bullock is the Press Officer for the British Para Table Tennis Team

In the presence of Her

The Princess Royal,

were amongst 300 Olympic and Paralympic coaches who attended a special event at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday 22nd October 2024 to celebrate the contribution made by coaches. It was the first time that coaches in the United Kingdom had been recognised on such a scale

Rio, he had been a big part of his preparation and achieving our biggest result for wheelchair players.”

Robinson can look back on many highlights in his long and distinguished career.

“I am very proud to have had a positive influence in the lives of the athletes that I have been involved with and contributed to some of their life changing moments,” he said. “There have been many memorable moments at the Paralympics Games - the standout moments for me as an athlete are in Barcelona 1992 where I won gold and silver medals, and Atlanta 1996 in achieving silver and bronze medals.”

“Another incredible moment came in the semi-final of the team event against France in Athens 2004 where I was 10-2 down in the 5th game against Jean-Philippe Robin, a French legend, and I somehow found a way to win the game 13-11 and the match 3-2 to take us through to the final. Table tennis is sometimes a crazy sport, and this also taught me that you should never give up.”

“As a coach, again there are several amazing memoriescoaching Paul Davies to an unexpected singles bronze medal at the ‘home games’ in London 2012 and years of preparing Rob Davies to achieve his singles gold in Rio 2016. The circumstances surrounding Tokyo 2021 and then coaching Paul Karabardak, Tom Matthews and Megan Shackleton to their first Paralympic medals was

I am very proud to have had a positive influence in the lives of the athletes that I have been involved with and contributed to some of their life changing moments

really special to me. I am extremely proud to have won seven Paralympic medals as an athlete but working closely with and helping athletes achieve their Paralympic dreams gives me a greater feeling of satisfaction.”

World and Paralympic medallist Tom Matthews acknowledged that Robinson has been a “massive influence” on his career.

“I was first introduced to Neil in 2013 after I had done well in San Diego and we started working together,” he said. “He had a massive role to play in my improvement, and he has done ever since. Neil’s knowledge of the game, especially the wheelchair game is unmatched, and it is very inspiring what he has achieved not just as a player but as a coach as well. Neil has been phenomenal, and he is going to be massively missed.

“Winning bronze in the World Championships in Slovenia in 2018 was a rollercoaster match as I was 2-0 down but the biggest one with Neil has got to be the Paralympic bronze in Tokyo with all the emotions. At one point we didn’t know if we were going due to Covid but we went u

ABOVE Neil Robinson left guided right Jack Hunter-Spivey to bronze in men’s singles class 5 at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

LEFT

Royal Highness

Neil Robinson centre, Shuan Marples left and right Andrew Rushton

out there and he helped me massively in achieving that dream.

“Neil understands the game really well having played for so many years himself and I think he recognises when a player is under stress and needs a critical time out or needs a bit of advice like ‘calm down’ or ‘reset’. Those little words in the corner – they are his biggest attributes as a coach.

“As a person he is just a lovely genuine guy. Neil has a granddaughter now, so his family has grown and he is always joyful to show you pic tures of them. He is a proper family man, and he brings that into table tennis. He really cares about you as an athlete, and I think that is what we are going to miss most - the care he has

for athletes and just being a genuine nice guy.”

In addition to being a valuable member of the coaching team Robinson has earned a reputation as the life

“We will miss his singing for sure,” said Vecko. “In Rio 2016 when we went out on the last night to a bar Neil got us all singing. He always starts with Hey Jude because it is his favourite song, I was looking around and all the people from Brazil were singing with us and the atmosphere was unbelievable.”

“At the end of the World Championships in 2014 in Beijing they tried to organise a party with some music but there were no drinks and so I said to Neil, ‘do some karaoke singing’. He refused but after half an hour he said, ‘give me the mic’ and we could not get it away from him after that. Rob Davies and the Swiss

ABOVE Neil Robinson centre advises left Tom Matthews and right Megan Shackleton at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games BELOW Rob Davies won gold in men’s singles class 1 at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, Neil Robinson played as major role in the preparation

In Rio 2016 when we went out on the last night to a bar Neil got us all singing. He always starts with Hey Jude because it is his favourite song, I was looking around and all the people from Brazil were singing with us and the atmosphere was unbelievable.

player Silvio Keller were singing with Neil for the rest of the night, and I will never forget it.

“We will not allow him to get away from British Para table tennis and we want to include him in all things. He will still be around the team and be part of the coaching team in Wales – he will come to some tournaments, and we will invite him to training camps to be part of the team. He deserves to be part of the team for as long as he wants to be.”

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

World Ranking

Highest: No.1 in men’s class 3 in January 1997

Paralympic Games

1992 Barcelona Gold Men’s Team Class 3 (Phillip Evans, James Rawson)

1992 Barcelona Silver Men’s Singles Class 3

1996 Atlanta Silver Men’s Singles Class 3

1996 Atlanta Bronze Men’s Team Class 3

2000 Sydney Silver Men’s Team Class 3 (James Rawson, Stefan Trofan)

2004 Athens Silver Men’s Team Class 3 (James Rawson)

World Championships

2002 Taipei City Silver Men’s Team Class 3 (James Rawson)

2006 Montreux Bronze Men’s Singles Class 3 (James Rawson

European Championships

1995 Hillerod Gold Men’s Singles Class 3

1995 Hillerod Silver Men’s Team Class 3 (James Rawson, Keith Whiley)

1999 Piestany Bronze Men’s Singles Class 3

1999 Piestany Gold Men’s Team Class 3 (James Rawson)

1999 Piestany Silver Men’s Doubles Class 10 (James Rawson)

2001 Frankfurt Silver Men’s Team Class 3 (James Rawson, Stefan Trofan)

2003 Zagreb Gold Men’s Team Class 3 (James Rawson)

2005 Jesolo Bronze Men’s Team Class 5 (Scott Robinson)

Download: Full Career Details

ABOVE Neil Robinson received the MBE in the 2022 Queen’s New Year’s Honours List

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Empowered by the ITTF Foundation, the message that table tennis can drive a positive social impact throughout the world rang clearly in Nairobi City Hall on Wednesday 23rd April, the Kenyan capital having been selected as the focal point for proceedings on World Table Tennis Day 2025.

Petra Sörling, ITTF President, in her opening remarks, stressed the transformative power of sport, spotlighting this year’s theme, diversity and inclusion.

The day unfolded with a mixed doubles tournament, cultural performances, and interactive games welcoming people of all backgrounds and skill levels. Proceedings concluded with a moving speech by Leandro Olvech, ITTF Foundation Director, celebrating the collective spirit that had brought the day to life in the country’s largest conurbation.

Overall, worldwide a total of 843 celebrations took place. No less than 146 countries, territories and ITTF member associations were represented. Significantly, when compared with 2024, a total of 31 more events took place, in addition to an increase of 25 further countries and territories participating. Zambia excelled expectations, the country located on the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, held no less than 68 events, only India with 178 celebrations recorded a high number, China organising 58 gatherings occupied third place.

Video: World Table Tennis Day in Kenya

Nairobi the focal point for World Table Tennis Day 2025

Petra Sörling starts proceedings in Nairobi

Petra Sörling took the opportunity to meet local officials and interested parties

A WORLD UNITED BY TABLE TENNIS

The energy of World Table Tennis Day 2025 was manifest through all five ITTF continents. From urban centres to remote villages, table tennis brought people together regardless of age, ability, gender identity, and background.

Asia led in participation terms with 336 celebrations, followed by Africa numbering 208, Europe 150, the Americas 135 and 15 in total for Oceania.

The power of sport fostered unity.

Aqaba, Jordan

Aleppo, Syria

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Arivonimamo, Madagascar

Cuenca, Ecuador

Arcachon, France

Hebron, Palestine

Jeumont, France

Bandipur, India

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Kathmandu, Nepal

Kabul, Afghanistan

Thessaloniki, Greece

Nîmes, France

Macao, China

Mugla, Turkey

Lisbon, Portugal

Xizang, China

Madrid, Spain

Swaythling Club International Opens Doors in Ecuador

In life, there are stories that unite people, athletes, families, friends, cities, countries, or regions of the world through a purpose, a mission. One such story began on Thursday 20th April in Stockholm, Sweden, at Gosta Brolin’s home, when 22 former World Championship players came together. This meeting coincided with the 29th World Table Tennis Championship and marked the founding of the Swaythling Club International.

AABOVE

Geovanny Coello right always prepared to seize the initiative, interviewed by left David Lucero prior to the start of the 2019-2029 Ecuador National League

similar story also began more than 30 years ago in Ecuador, in the 1990s, when a group of students at San Luis Gonzaga School, run by the Jesuits, discovered table tennis in the school courtyards; their dedication led them to train regularly, first in the afternoons and later at night, at the Pichincha Sports Concentration facility.

Geovanny Coello, Juan Francisco Ávila and Carlos Moya took to heart the Ignatian concept of "magis", Latin for “more.” Not just more in quantity, but more in quality. For them, it meant striving for excellence, depth in reflection, and total commitment to everything they

did; their pursuit of quality in sports led them to win school-level titles and receive athletic scholarships at higher education institutions: Geovanny and Carlos at ESPE (Armed Forces University), and Juan Francisco at PUCE (Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador).

After high school, they pursued professional careers, Geovanny became an agricultural engineer, Juan Francisco a communication and journalism professional, Carlos a systems engineer; their achievements span beyond academics into national and international sports.

The story continued with David Lucero, a sports journalist trained at the Central University of

Magis is was not simply about doing ‘more’ in quantitative terms, but about seeking superior quality in action, depth in reflection, and total commitment to what one does

Ecuador, and Edison Naranjo, a systems engineer from the National Polytechnic School. David shared athletic experiences with the group in clubs like ESPE, Liga de Quito, Leyendas Ecuador, and USFQ. Despite being competitors, their friendship and shared values kept the spirit of “magis” alive, inspiring them to one day establish a club board to offer new opportunities for table tennis players.

Edison, too, fell in love with the sport, founding the “Lobo de Mar” Table Tennis Club in the Galápagos, achieving significant milestones.

Now, in a beautiful twist of fate, on Sunday 20th April 2025, exactly 58 years after the founding of Swaythling Club International in Sweden, the Ecuadorian branch of the Swaythling Club International was officially formed in

Quito. Curiously, this date also commemorates the miracle of the Virgin Dolorosa in 1906, a special event for three of the board members.

The first board of SCI Ecuador is formed as follows: Geovanny Coello (President), Juan Francisco Ávila (Vice President), David Lucero (Secretary), Edison Naranjo (Treasurer), Carlos Moya (Administrator).

One of their first planned activities for the second half of 2025 is the organisation of the first Swaythling Club International Ecuador Cup, featuring players from their generation and other master-level athletes. The goal is to foster competition and participation among experienced players.

The expectations are high for this group of friends, who bring both professional and athletic expertise to the club. More importantly, they are united by a desire to create opportunities for Ecuadorian athletes to grow in skill and spirit.

Through SCI Ecuador, they hope to inspire future generations to value history, sportsmanship, and passion for the game, offering support not only in sports but also in professional life.

Together at the first Ecuador Tour tournament in 2021 left to right Carlos Moya, Juan Francisco Ávila, Juan Pablo Pozo, Luis Ortega, David Lucero, Geovanny Coello

SWAYTHLING CLUB NEWS

Hans Wilhelm Gab 1936-2025

Hans-Wilhelm Gäb, a stalwart member of the Swaythling Club International, passed away on Sunday 31st April; he was 89 years old.

Born on Tuesday 31st March 1936, he first played table tennis in 1949, becoming a member of Borussia Düsseldorf in 1951. He joined the DTTB Executive Committee in 1979, stepping down in 2024 after 45 years of service.

Honouring Joe Veselsky

Staged in Geneva on Tuesday 29th April, a special gathering paid tribute to the life of Joe Veselsky.

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A tribute to Joe Veselsky

RIGHT

Meeting in Geneva

left to right Reto Bazzi, Lila de Soysa, Kate (Joe Veselsky’s daughter), Claude Bergeret, Peter Veselsky (Joe Veselsky’s son), Gloria Wagener, Beverley Godfrey

A player of note, he made 13 appearances for West Germany. Alongside Erich Arndt, Conny Freundorfer, Ernst Gomolla and Dieter Köhler, he competed in the 1959 World Championships, ninth place in the men’s team event a creditable finish. Also, he was present at the 1960 and 1962 European Championships

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A tribute Hans-Wilhelm Gäb

Meeting in Prague

On Saturday 26th April Executive Committee members met in Prague. The major focus was preparation for the forthcoming European Veteran Championships in Novi Sad, the upcoming Annual General Meeting and elections for the Executive Committee. In addition, an informal gathering took place with colleagues from the Czech Swaythling Club section.

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Swaythling Club meets in Prague

Fair play recognised in Doha

On Sunday 25th May, at the 2025 ITTF World Championships Finals, England’s Tom Jarvis was named the Richard Bergmann Fair Award winner. Later he received the award from Clare Briegal, Chair of Table Tennis England.

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Richard Bergmann Fair Play Award

Jordi Serra elected secretary

Jordi Serra, amongst many roles, the Tournament Director for the 2016 and 2023 World Veteran Championships, was elected unopposed as Secretary of the Swaythling Club International at the Annual General Meeting on Saturday 21st June. Likewise, unopposed Claude Bergeret (President), Reto Bazzi (Deputy President) and Richard Scruton (Treasurer) retained their respective positions. Lilamani de Soysa, Gloria Wagener and Zdenko Kriz were elected once again committee members.

Award recipient to world champion

At the 2019 World Junior Championships, Japan’s Shunsuke Togami received the Swaythling Club award for sportsmanship. At the 2025 ITTF World Championships Finals, he won the men’s doubles partnering Hiroto Shinosuke.

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Recognition at the 2019 World Junior Championships

Korean delegation

On Thursday 19th June, Claude Bergeret, Gloria Wagener, Reto Bazzi, and Zdenko Kriz met members of the 2026 World Masters Championships organising committee at the European Veteran Championships in Novi Sad. The proposed date for the tournament is Friday 5th to Sunday 14th June.

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Meeting with Korean organisers

Return to Novi Sad

Playing in the same hall as when 16 years old in 1974 at the European Championships, in 2025 for Branka Batinic it was a successful return.

At the European Veteran Championships, competing in the over 65 category, she won the women’s singles and with Kai Thornbech, the women’s doubles.

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Swaythling Club members at European Veteran Championships

Jordi Serra in 2023 in Oman

Gloria Wagener, Executive Committe member left with right Swaythling Club member, Branka Batinic

The splendid scene at the ITTF Men’s and Women’s Cup tournament in Macao

IN FOCUS IN FOCUS

A review of international tournaments staged in April, May and June 2025

World Title

ABOVE

The Calderano backhand proved a lethal weapon in both Macao and Doha

RIGHT

A proud moment for Hugo Calderano holding the ITTF Men’s World Cup trophy named in honour of Roy Evans, former ITTF President

Hugo Calderano on fire in Macao and Doha

Stunning performances, scintillating play, at the ITTF Men’s World Cup in Macao, followed one month later in mid May by the ITTF World Championships Finals in Doha, without any shadow of a doubt, the name on everybody’s lips was Brazil’s Hugo Calderano.

The top prize in Macao, runners up spot in Doha, he exceeded all expectations, set ting a host of new standards; never be fore had any player from Brazil or for that matter from outside the bound aries of Asia or Eu rope, reached such dizzy heights.

In previous editions of the Men’s World Cup, Brazilians had

provided eye catching performances but without a place on the podium being the result. Claudio Kano, so tragically killed in a motor bike accident just a few days prior to the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, had come close. He shared fifth and sixth places on two occasions, in 1987 in Macao alongside Hong Kong’s Lo Chueng Tsung, in 1989 in Nairobi with Georg-Zsolt Böhm, in those days representing West Germany.

Somewhat differently, Thiago Monteiro, Calderano’s coach in Macao, caused one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history. In 2004 in Xiaoshan, the first time the men’s and women’s events were held concurrently in the same venue, he beat Ryu Seungmin, some two months earlier the Korean had won gold at the Athens Olympic Games!

Likewise in the group stage in 1996 in Nîmes, Hugo Hoyama ac-

ITTF MEN’S AND WOMEN’S WORLD CUP, MACAO, CHINA

Monday 14th - Sunday 20th April

MEN’S SINGLES

Round of 16

Lin Shidong (CHN) v Anton Källberg (SWE) 11,5,-12,-9,-9,7,8

Truls Moregard (SWE) v Simon Gauzy (FRA) 11,-6,10,-8,12,11

Darko Jorgic (SLO) v An Jaehyun (KOR) 4,14,-8,6,-9,8

Liang Jingkun (CHN) v Shunsuke Togami (JPN) 4,7,5,-6,10,5

Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) v Feng Yi-Hsin (TPE) 7,9,10,8

Hugo Calderano (BRA) v Hiroto Shinozuka (JPN) 6,-12,8,9,7

Benedikt Duda (GER) v Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) 9,-9,-7,6-6,7,13

Wang Chuqin (CHN) v Kanak Jha (USA) 4,-8,8,6,9

Quarter-Finals

Lin Shidong (CHN) v Truls Moregard (SWE) 7,9,18,6

Liang Jingkun (CHN) v Darko Jorgic (SLO) 5,3,-14,9,-17,6

Hugo Calderano (BRA) v Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) -8,8,8,8,10

Wang Chuqin (CHN) v Benedikt Duda (GER) 2,-11,9,-3,7,-7,10

Semi-Finals

SF: Lin Shidong (CHN) v Liang Jingkun (CHN) -13,4,5,8,7

SF: Hugo Calderano (BRA) v Wang Chuqin (CHN) 12,-5,-6,-7,7,5,10

Final

F: Hugo Calderano (BRA) v Lin Shidong (CHN) -6,7,9,4,5

WOMEN’S SINGLES

Round of 16

Sun Yingsha (CHN) v Sofia Polcanova (AUT) 3,4,13,9

Cheng I-Ching (TPE) v Hina Hayata (JPN) 11,5,8-6,-15,-4,10

Bruna Takahashi (BRA) v Bernadette Szocs (ROU) 8,7,7,5

Chen Xingtong (CHN) v Shin Yubin (KOR) 7,9,6,8

Satsuki Odo (JPN) v Jian Nan Yuan (FRA) -9,5,12,8,7

Mima Ito (JPN) v Adriana Diaz (PUR) -9,10,9,8,8

Kuai Man (CHN) v Suh Hyowon (KOR) 5,7,4,6

Wang Manyu (CHN) v Miwa Harimoto (JPN) -8,-5,7,-12,7,7,10

Quarter-Finals

Sun Yingsha (CHN) v Cheng I-Ching (TPE) 6,5,-8,7,9

Chen Xingtong (CHN) v Bruna Takahashi (BRA) 8,-6,11,7,7

Mima Ito (JPN) v Satsuki Odo (JPN) 7,-5,9,-9,10,7

Kuai Man (CHN) v Wang Manyu (CHN) -5,-10,6,16,9,5

Semi-Finals

Sun Yingsha (CHN) v Chen Xingtong (CHN) 7,8,2,-10,4

Kuai Man (CHN) v Mima Ito (JPN) -9,-6,4,9,8,9,7

Final

Sun Yingsha (CHN) v Kuai Man (CHN) 9,6,9,6

Full Results: ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup

counted for China’s Kong Linghui, at the time the reigning world champion, having won in 1995 in Tianjin.

Alas for both Monteiro and Hoyama there was no progress to the main draw; in fact, for each it was their only success, on games ratio fourth place in the group. The surprise wins dented the hopes of Ryu Seungmin and Kong Linghui; each finished in group third place and thus like the Brazilians experienced elimination. Austria’s Werner Schlager and Sweden’s Jan-Ove Waldner occupied the top two re spective places in Xiaoshan, Wald ner and Frenchman Patrick Chila in Nîmes.

Looking beyond Brazilian shores, for players representing ITTF member associations from outside Asia and Europe, prior to Calderano, the highest ever finish at the Men’s World Cup is that achieved by Canada’s Johnny Huang in 1993. After losing to China’s Wang Tao at the semi-final stage he beat Sweden’s Peter Karlsson to

secure third place. Notably the tournament was held in the Chinese city of Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province where, as Wenguan Huang, he learnt his skills.

Similarly, no player from outside Asia and Europe can match Calderano’s men’s singles finish at a World Championships. Searching the records for the nearest, the clock has to be turned back in time, to an age when the United States was a major force on the global stage; semi-final finishes proved the outcomes for Lou Pagliaro in 1947 in Paris, Marty Reisman in 1949 in Stockholm and Dick Miles in 1959 in Dortmund.

Meanwhile, for Brazil, the prior best is the round of 16, a feat achieved in 1987 in New Delhi by Claudio Kano, when losing to China’s Hui Jun and in 1961 in Beijing when Ubiraci Rodrigues da Costa, always known as Biriba, hit the headlines. Only 15-year-old at the time, he caused one of the biggest upsets ever known in the history of the World Championships,

LEFT

At the ITTF Men’s World Cup, for Benedikt Duda, at the quarter-final stage it was so near yet so far; he lost to Wang Chuqin by the minimal margin

ITTF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS FINALS, DOHA, QATAR

Saturday 17th - Sunday 25th May

MEN’S SINGLES

Round of 32

Lin Shidong (CHN) v Kristian Karlsson (SWE) -8,1,6,5,9

Anton Källberg (SWE) v Maharu Yoshimura (JPN) 10,8,10,11

Tom Jarvis (ENG) v Iulian Chirita (ROU) 9,12,10,7

Liang Jingkun (CHN) v Marcos Freitas (POR) 8,2,5,14

Felix Lebrun (FRA) v Oh Junsung (KOR) 5,-9,-9,4,9,5

An Jaehyun (KOR) v Lin Yen-Chu (TPE) 7,-7,5,-5,-7,7,14

Quadri Aruna (NGR) v Benedikt Duda (GER) 9,-4,8,-2,10,9

Hugo Calderano (BRA) v Kirill Gerassimenko (KAZ) -9,-9,5,10,9,7

Shunsuke Togami (JPN) v Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) 7,9,-9,5,9

Darko Jorgic (SLO) v Eduard Ionescu (ROU) 9,7,2,6

Jang Woojin (KOR) v Adrien Rassenfosse (BEL) 7,-5,5,11,9

Truls Moregard (SWE) v Kao Cheng-Jui (TPE) -5,8,7,-13,4,3

Patrick Franziska (GER) v Cho Daeseong (KOR) -7,-9,-7,7,8,4,3

Lin Yun-Ju (TPE) v Daniel Habesohn (AUT) 8,8,8,10

Simon Gauzy (FRA) v Lin Gaoyuan (CHN) -2,8,11,9,-6,3

Wang Chuqin (CHN) v Wong Chun Ting (HKG) 10,6,5,7

Round of 16

Lin Shidong (CHN) v Anton Källberg (SWE) 6,10,7,8

Liang Jingkun (CHN) v Tom Jarvis (ENG) -8,8,9,-5,2,8

An Jaehyun (KOR) v Felix Lebrun (FRA) -10,9,12,-7,-12,9,9

Hugo Calderano (BRA) v Quadri Aruna (NGR) 4,4,4,6

Shunsuke Togami (JPN) v Darko Jorgic (SLO) -9,9,-9,4,-1,10,10

Truls Moregard (SWE) v Jang Woojin (KOR) 8,7,-7,9,-3,-7,12

Lin Yun-Ju (TPE) v Patrick Franziska (GER) -8,10,10,-7,9,-7,4

Wang Chuqin (CHN) v Simon Gauzy (FRA) -9,-9,2,9,4,8

Quarter-Finals

Liang Jingkun (CHN) v Lin Shidong (CHN) 5,8,-7,-5,8,-8,7

Hugo Calderano (BRA) v An Jaehyun (KOR) 4,6,-9,7,10

Truls Moregard (SWE) v Shunsuke Togami (JPN) -14,-3,7,8,10,9

Wang Chuqin (CHN) v Lin Yun-Ju (TPE) 10,8,8,10

Semi-Finals

Hugo Calderano (BRA) v Liang Jingkun (CHN) 13,7,-8,8,-3,-7,9

Wang Chuqin (CHN) v Truls Moregard (SWE) -5,8,2,10,10

Final

Wang Chuqin (CHN) v Hugo Calderano (BRA) 10,3,-4,2,7

WOMEN’S SINGLES

Round of 32

Sun Yingsha (CHN) v Charlotte Lutz (FRA) 4,6,6,6

Shin Yubin (KOR) v Gaia Monfardini (ITA) 5,-8,9,12,14

Lea Rakovac (CRO) v Suh Hyowon (KOR) -3,9,-7,4,7,6

Satsuki Odo (JPN) v Sabine Winter (GER) 4,7,6,8

Mima Ito (JPN) v Natalia Bajor (POL) 7,9,9,-9,-2,9

Cheng I-Ching (TPE) v Zhang Mo (CAN) -15,5,6,6,6

Prithika Pavade (FRA) v Andreea Dragoman (ROU) 11,9,12,6

Wang Yidi (CHN) v Hana Goda (EGY) 7,10,4,7

Chen Xingtong (CHN) v Izabela Lupulesku (SRB) 1,5,9,-9,12

Bruna Takahashi (BRA) v Sibel Altinkaya (TUR) 6,7,3,-6,9

Shi Xunyao (CHN) v Park Gahyeon (KOR) 8,5,5,7

Hina Hayata (JPN) v Hana Matelova (CZE) 7,-7,7,-9,6,10

Miwa Harimoto (JPN) v Kim Kum Yong (PRK) 8,-5,6,7,-8,-8,3

Zeng Jian (SGP) v Adriana Diaz (PUR) 7,8,-7,-10,11,-8,5

Bernadette Szocs (ROU) v Li Yu-Jhun (TPE) 9,7,8,-8,7

Wang Manyu (CHN) v Han Ying (GER) 10,10,-9,4,11

Round of 16

Sun Yingsha (CHN) v Shin Yubin (KOR) 8,-7,6,5,-10,10

Satsuki Odo (JPN) v Lea Rakovac (CRO) 3,9,7,5

Mima Ito (JPN) v Cheng I-Ching (TPE) 8,19,6,9

Wang Yidi (CHN) v Prithika Pavade (FRA) 7,7,7,8

Chen Xingtong (CHN) v Bruna Takahashi (BRA) -10,7,8,7,8

Hina Hayata (JPN) v Shi Xunyao (CHN) 5,-8,-8,5,5,9

Miwa Harimoto (JPN) v Zeng Jian (SGP) 5,9,4,6

Wang Manyu (CHN) v Bernadette Szocs (ROU) 6,10,5,6

Quarter-Finals

Sun Yingsha (CHN) v Satsuki Odo (JPN) -9,8,4,11,5

Mima Ito (JPN) v Wang Yidi (CHN) -6,8,8,8,9

Chen Xingtong (CHN) v Hina Hayata (JPN) 10,6,7,9

Wang Manyu (CHN) v Miwa Harimoto (JPN) 5,8,9,5

Semi-Finals

Sun Yingsha (CHN) v Mima Ito (JPN) 7,5,9,4

Wang Manyu (CHN) v Chen Xingtong (CHN) 8,8,2,8

Final

Sun Yingsha (CHN) v Wang Manyu (CHN) 6,10,-8,-5,10,-11,7

in the round of 32 he accounted for the host nation’s Rong Guotan, the reigning world champion; one round later he was beaten by Hu Daoben, also from China.

An epic encounter over 60 years ago; similarly, for Hugo Calderano, he was involved in contests in both Macao and Doha that merit the same description. In Macao he recovered from a three games to one penultimate round deficit against China’s Wang Chuqin, eventually succeeding by the very narrowest of margins in the seventh game.

Once again a

Later in Doha, at the

same stage, he beat Liang Jingkun, also from China, a duel that gave his supporters heart failure! In the deciding game Liang Jingkun, saved no less than six consecutive match points, before Calderano held firm to once again win by the minimal out-

Yet again, as in Macao, it was a semifinal defeat for Liang Jingkun; moreover, it was four in a row at an ITTF World Championships!

A debut in 2019 in Budapest, always he has fallen in the penultimate round, only in Doha it was not to a colleague who progressed to claim the St Bride Vase. In the Hungarian capital city, he was beaten by Ma Long, in 2021 in Houston and 2023 in Durban he lost to Fan Zhendong.

RIGHT

semifinal defeat for Liang Jingkun

The performances afford Liang Jingkun a special place in men’s singles World Championships history; to date he is one of only three players to have experi enced four men’s singles semi-final defeats, no player has experienced more.

Furthermore, he is in illus trious company, the other names are those of Ivan Andreadis, who repre sented the country known as Czechoslova kia and a certain Ma Long!

Andreadis experi enced semi-final de feats in London in 1948 and 1954, in Bu dapest in 1950 and

Stockholm in 1957. However, in 1951 in Vienna and 1953 in Budapest he progressed to the final, concluding play the runner up on

Rather differently, Ma Long bowed out at the semi-final stage in 2009 in Yokohama, 2011 in Rotterdam, 2013 in Paris and later in 2023 in Durban. Three consecutive semi-final defeats but more significantly three successive titles; he won in 2015 in Suzhou, 2017 in Dusseldorf and 2019 in Budapest.

Alas for Liang Jingkun there is no such compensation, at World Championships he is the only player to

ABOVE

A smiling Wang Chuqin after the men’s singles presentation ceremony in Doha

LEFT

Truls Moregard once again proved himself to be a player of the very highest order, a quarter-finalist in Macao, semi-finalist in Doha u

ABOVE

Sun Yingsha simply irrepressible

LEFT

A determined Chen Xingting, a semi-finalist in both Macao and Doha

have experienced four men’s singles semi-final exits and never advanced further.

Outstanding from Calderano but great credit must go to his conqueror, Wang Chuqin; having experienced the disappointment of Macao, in typical Chinese style, he regrouped, Wang Hao, winner of the men’s singles title at the 2009 World Championships in Yokohama, had his charge well prepared.

An impressive five games win in the final, meant that Wang Chuqin completed the full gambit of possible World Championships titles, the men’s doubles alongside Ma Long in 2019 in Budapest, three times the mixed doubles winner with Sun Yingsha and a member of the China’s men’s outfit at the three most recent World Team Championships.

The name of Wang Chuqin is now indelibly printed in the history books of sport. He joins the Hungarian trio of Miklos Szabados, Victor Barna, and Ferenc Sido, who alongside Japan’s Ichiro Ogimura, China’s Liu Guoliang and Wang Liqin are the only male players who have a full house

of World Championships titles.

A member of a select group; also, he becomes a member of a group that is even more se lect. He stands alone amongst his compatriots; he is the only left hander from China to win the men’s singles title at a World Championship. Over all, he is the fourth, the first was Sweden’s Stellan Bengtsson in 1971 in Na goya followed by Japan’s Seiji Ono in 1979 in Pyon gyang and Frenchman Jean-Philippe Gatien in 1993 in Gothenburg.

In Doha Wang Chuqin was immaculate, at no stage requiring seven games to ensure victory, notably at the semi-final stage overcoming Sweden’s Truls Möregard in five

MEN’S DOUBLES

Round of 32

Alexis Lebrun/Felix Lebrun (FRA) v Benyamin Faraji/Amirmahdi Keshavarzi (IRI) 4,5,0

Anton Källberg/Truls Moregard (SWE) v Horacio Cifuentes/Santiago Lorenzo (ARG) -13,2,8,-5,6

Mattias Falck/Kristian Karlsson (SWE) v Alberto Miño/Diego Piguave (ECU) 3,5,6

Benedikt Duda/Dang Qiu (GER) v Manush Shah/Manav Thakkar (IND) 5,9,-8,5

Kao Cheng-Jui/Lin Yun-Ju (TPE) v Lubomir Pistej/Jakub Zelinka (SVK) -3,2,10,7

Huang Youzheng/Liang Jingkun (CHN) v Darko Jorgic/Tomislav Pucar (SLO/CRO) 7,7,-10,12

Cho Daeseong/Jang Woojin (KOR) v Samuel Arpas/Balazs Lei (SVK/HUN) 5,6,9

Lin Gaoyuan/Lin Shidong (CHN) v Iulian Chirita/Eduard Ionescu (ROU) 6,6,10

Tomokazu Harimoto/Sora Matsushima (JPN) v Robert Gardos/Daniel Habesohn (AUT) 7,4,4

Ovidiu Ionescu/Alvaro Robles (ROU/ESP) v Hwan Bae/Aditya Sareen (AUS) 5,2,-8,5

Baldwin Chan/Wong Chun Ting (HKG) v Nicolas Burgos/Gustavo Gomez (CHI) 5,7,6

Florian Bourrassaud/Estaban Dorr (FRA) v Maciej Kolodziejczyk/Vladislav Ursu (AUT/MDA) 6,8,8

Youssef Abdel-Aziz/Mohamed El-Beiali (EGY) v An Jaehyun/Lim Jonghoon (KOR) 10,10,8

Konstantinos Angelakis/Wang Yang (SVK/GRE) v Clarence Chew/Joshua Chua (SGP) 11,-3,-6,10,7

Pang Koen/Izaac Quek (SGP) v Mehdi Bouloussa/Milhane Jellouli (ALG) 9,2,8

Hiroto Shinozuka/Shunsuke Togami (JPN) v Kwan Man Ho/Yiu Kwan To (HKG) -9,5,2,6

Round of 16

Alexis Lebrun/Felix Lebrun (FRA) v Anton Källberg/Truls Moregard (SWE) -10,5,3,5

Mattias Falck/Kristian Karlsson (SWE) v Benedikt Duda/Dang Qiu (GER) 11,9,-11,-9,7

Kao Cheng-Jui/Lin Yun-Ju (TPE) v Huang Youzheng/Liang Jingkun (CHN) -3,8,11,-13,4

Lin Gaoyuan/Lin Shidong (CHN) v Cho Daeseong/Jang Woojin (KOR) 5,9,9

Ovidiu Ionescu/Alvaro Robles (ROU/ESP) v Tomokazu Harimoto/Sora Matsushima (JPN) -9,12,-4,9,9

Florian Bourrassaud/Estaban Dorr (FRA) v Baldwin Chan/Wong Chun Ting (HKG) 6,8,7

Youssef Abdel-Aziz/Mohamed El-Beiali (EGY) v Konstantinos Angelakis/Wang Yang (SVK/GRE) 8,9,7

Hiroto Shinozuka/Shunsuke Togami (JPN) v Pang Koen/Izaac Quek (SGP) 8,-2,-7,8,7

Quarter-Finals

Alexis Lebrun/Felix Lebrun (FRA) v Mattias Falck/Kristian Karlsson (SWE) 9,7,-8,5

Kao Cheng-Jui/Lin Yun-Ju (TPE) v Lin Gaoyuan/Lin Shidong (CHN) 5,9,-5,8

Florian Bourrassaud/Estaban Dorr (FRA) v Ovidiu Ionescu/Alvaro Robles (ROU/ESP) -8,7,-4,11,6

Hiroto Shinozuka/Shunsuke Togami (JPN) v Youssef Abdel-Aziz/Mohamed El-Beiali (EGY) 10,3,5

Semi-Finals

Kao Cheng-Jui/Lin Yun-Ju (TPE) v Alexis Lebrun/Felix Lebrun (FRA) 8,7,-9,10

Hiroto Shinozuka/Shunsuke Togami (JPN) v Florian Bourrassaud/Estaban Dorr (FRA) walk over

Final

Hiroto Shinozuka/Shunsuke Togami (JPN) v Kao Cheng-Jui/Lin Yun-Ju (TPE) -6,5,-7,6,6

games, his nemesis in the second round at the

Ruthless efficiency, it was very much the same from Sun Yingsha; at the ITTF Women’s World Cup she was never stretched beyond five games, at the World Championships only on one occasion, the final when in the sixth game Wang Manyu saved four consecutive match points to force a decider.

Impressive performances, none more so than her straight games semi-final win against Japan’s Mima Ito, the eighth seed, the winner one round earlier against Wang Yidi, the fourth seed.

The list of successes suggests that Sun Yingsha

LEFT

Podium finishes for Mima Ito, in Doha she upset the order of merit by beating Wang Yidi, the number four seed, to prevent an all Chinese semi-final line up

merits comparison with the very best the sport has witnessed.

She has now contested the final in each of the three most recent editions of the World Championships and the Women’s World Cup. Previously in the former she was the runner up in 2021 in Houston, the winner in 2023 in Durban; in the latter the runner up in 2020 in Weihei, the winner in 2024 in Macao.

Most notably she compares with compatriot Wang Nan, the only other player since the Women’s World Cup was introduced in 1996 in Hong Kong, to have reached at least three consecutive finals in each tournament. At the World Championships she was the runner up in 1997 in Manchester, the winner in 1999 in Eindhoven, 2001 in Osaka and 2003 in Paris. In the Women’s World Cup she won in 1997 in Shanghai and 1998 in Taipei City, before being the runner up in 2000 in Phnom Penh.

Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, each outstanding apart, together it is just the same; having won in 2021 in Houston and two years later in

WOMEN’S DOUBLES

Round of 32

Satsuki Odo/Sakura Yokoi (JPN) v Anel Bakhyt/Angelina Romanovskaya (KAZ) 9,5,4

Mateja Jeger/Lea Rakovac (CRO) v Tan Zhao Yun/Zhang Wanling (SGP) 6,-9,-11,8,8

Annett Kaufmann/Shan Xiaona (GER) v Ayhika Mukherjee/ Sutirtha Mukherjee (IND) 1,11,7

Ryu Hanna/Shin Yubin (KOR) v Sara de Nutte/Georgina Pota (LUX/HUN) 3,7,4

Barbora Balazova/Hana Matelova (SVK/CZE) v Hend Fathy/Hana Goda (EGY) -6,5,9,9

Sofia Polcanova/Bernadette Szocs (AUT/ROU) v Clio Barcenas/Arantxa Cossio (MEX) 6,5,7

Huang Yi-Hua/Tsai Yun-En (TPE) v Leana Hochart/Charlotte Lutz (FRA) 8,7,-8,4

Wan Yuan/Sabine Winter (GER) v Chen Xingtong/Qian Tianyi (CHN) -5,8,-9,8,9

Miwa Harimoto/Miyuu Kihara (JPN) v Prithika Pavade/Jia Nan Yuan (FRA) 15,3,4

Diya Chitale/Yashaswini Ghorpade (IND) v Ser Lin Qian/Zeng Jian (SGP) -6,6,8,9

Kim Nayeong/Lee Eunhye (KOR) v Natalia Bajor/Tatiana Kukulkova (POL/SVK) 7,-10,13,10

Cheng I-Ching/Li Yu-Jhun (TPE) v Gaia Monfardini/Rachel Moret (ITA/SUI) 7,-10,5,5

Ng Wing Lam/Zhu Chengzhu (HKG) v Mariam Alhodaby/Marwa Alhodaby (EGY) 10,9,5

Adina Diaconu/Maria Xiao (ROU/ESP) v Lucia Cordero/Hidalynn Zapata (GUA) 7,4,9

Kong Tsz Lam/Lee Hoi Man (HKG) v Chang Li Sian/Karen Lyne (MAS) 6,-9,-6,9,9

Kuai Man/Wang Manyu (CHN) v Cha Su Yong/Pak Su Gyong (PRK) 6,3,9

Round of 16

Satsuki Odo/Sakura Yokoi (JPN) v Mateja Jeger/Lea Rakovac (CRO) 10,9,0

Ryu Hanna/Shin Yubin (KOR) v Annett Kaufmann/Shan Xiaona (GER) 8,3,4,8

Sofia Polcanova/Bernadette Szocs (AUT/ROU) v Barbora Balazova/Hana Matelova (SVK/CZE) 7,-9,-9,5,5

Wan Yuan/Sabine Winter (GER) v Huang Yi-Hua/Tsai Yun-En (TPE) -8,-9,8,7,7

Miwa Harimoto/Miyuu Kihara (JPN) v Diya Chitale/Yashaswini Ghorpade (IND) 7,8,9

Kim Nayeong/Lee Eunhye (KOR) v Cheng I-Ching/Li Yu-Jhun (TPE) 10,8,-9,5

Adina Diaconu/Maria Xiao (ROU/ESP) v Ng Wing Lam/Zhu Chengzhu (HKG) 11,4,10

Kuai Man/Wang Manyu (CHN) v Kong Tsz Lam/Lee Hoi Man (HKG) 6,6,5

Quarter-Finals

Ryu Hanna/Shin Yubin (KOR) v Satsuki Odo/Sakura Yokoi (JPN) 9,-9,6,18

Sofia Polcanova/Bernadette Szocs (AUT/ROU) v Wan Yuan/Sabine Winter (GER) 7,8,-4,10

Miwa Harimoto/Miyuu Kihara (JPN) v Kim Nayeong/Lee Eunhye (KOR) 3,5,8

Kuai Man/Wang Manyu (CHN) v Adina Diaconu/Maria Xiao (ROU/ESP) 7,9,8

Semi-Finals

Sofia Polcanova/Bernadette Szocs (AUT/ROU) v Ryu Hanna/Shin Yubin (KOR) 5,-8,8,-9,9

Kuai Man/Wang Manyu (CHN) v Miwa Harimoto/Miyuu Kihara (JPN) 8,6,5

Final

Kuai Man/Wang Manyu (CHN) v Sofia Polcanova/Bernadette Szocs (AUT/ROU) 6,6,5

Durban, in Doha they claimed their third consecutive World Championships mixed doubles title, a quite remarkable feat for players so young, both were born in 2000. Add to the list successes, they struck gold in the mixed team event at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games and more re cently they secured the mixed doubles crown at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The record exemplary, some what surprising that in Doha they were the second seeds, the top spot being occupied by colleagues Lin Shidong and Kuai Man. Can Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha not lay claim to being consid ered the greatest mixed part nership of all time?

Only one other pair has won three mixed

doubles titles at the World Championships, compatriots Wang Tao and Liu Wei prevailed in 1991 in Chiba, prior to succeeding in 1993 in Gothenburg and 1995 in Tianjin.

Specialists in the art of mixed doubles might be one description for Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha; for Japan’s Maharu Yoshimura it is a most appropriate portrayal. Previously at World Championships, partnering compatriot Kasumi Ishikawa, he was the runner up in 2015 in Suzhou and in 2019 in Budapest, sandwiched in between, the winner in 2017 in Düsseldorf. In Doha, in harness with Satsuki Odo, it was

FACING LEFT

Hiroto Shinozuke left and right Shunsuke Togami in reflective mood after their men’s doubles success

TOP

Wang Manyu left and right Kuai Man in a class of their very own

LEFT

Maharu Yoshimura left and Satsuki Odo right defied the odds to secure mixed doubles silver

RIGHT

Lin Yun-Ju left and right colleague Kao Cheng-Jui, the very best of friends

ABOVE Arms in the air from a delighted Sofia Polcanova left, even more exuberant from right Bernadette Szocs, she jumps for joy as a women’s doubles final place is secured

RIGHT

Lea Rakovac rose to the occasion to reach the women’s singles last 16, eventually losing to Japan’s Satsuki Odo, the no.7 seed. In round two she beat Miu Hirano, the number 15 seed, also from Japan, before one round later ousting Korea Republic’s Suh Hyowon, the number 17 seed.

FACING

Tom Jarvis beat Germany’s Qiu Dang, the 2022 European champion and tenth seed in the second round. Eventually, he was beaten by Liang Jingkun

once again the silver medal; moreover, very much against the odds.

The Japanese duo commenced matters the number16 seeds; safely through to the quarterfinals, they ousted China’s Lin Shidong and Kuai Man, prior to reserving their place in the final courtesy of success in opposition to Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem, the third seeds.

Silver for the Land of the Rising Sun, in the men’s doubles it was gold; Hiroto Shinozuka and Shunsuke Togami, the second seeds, rose to the occasion to end the Japanese drought. The most recent occasion when the nation so proud of its table tennis heritage had held aloft the Iran Cup was in a totally different era. In 1961 in Beijing, Nobuya Hoshino and Koji Kimura had emerged victorious.

At the final hurdle in Doha the Japanese pairing accounted for Chinese Taipei’s Kao ChengJu and Lin Yun-Ju, the sixth seeds, a duo that had exceeded expectations. Earlier, at the quarter-final stage they had ousted China’s Lin Gaoyuan and Lin Shidong, the third seeds, one round later, the French brothers Alexis and Felix Lebrun, the top seeds.

Notably, for the first time ever, a final at a World Championships was contested by players all born in the 21st century. Lin Yun-Ju and Shunsuke Togami were both born in 2001, Hiroto Shinosuke in 2003, Kao Cheng-Jui in 2004. Furthermore, Shunsuke Togami proved himself very much a name to note in Doha, the number 27 seed, he defied his status to reach the men’s singles quarter-finals.

Bronze for Alexis and Felix Lebrun, the same colour for their colleagues, Flo rian Bourrassaud and Estaban Dorr, thus no place for a Chinese pair on the men’s doubles podium at a World Championships, the first time for such a happening since 1969 in Munich, when owing to the strictures of the Cul tural Revolution, China had not competed.

Disappointment for China, partnerships not meeting expecta tions; in the women’s doubles life was very different, Kuai Man and Wang Manyu se cured the title in the most convincing manner possible, they won every match in straight games!

Imposing from start to finish, they beat the combination of Austria’s Sofia Polcanova and Romania’s Bernadette Szocs, to secure gold. Impressively, in the penultimate round the 2022 European champions overcome Korea Republic’s Ryu Hanna and Shin Yubin, the seventh seeds, the quarterfinal victors in opposition to Japan’s Satsuki Odo and Sakura Yoki, the top seeds.

A most applaudable effort from Sofia Polcanova and Bernadette Szocs, who became the first all European pair to reach the women’s doubles final at a World Championships since 1969. China absent Svetlana Grinberg and Zoja Rudnova, on duty for the Soviet Union, beat Romania’s Maria Alexandru and Eleonora Mihalca to

MIXED DOUBLES

Round of 32

Lin Shidong/Kuai Man (CHN) v Simon Gauzy/Prithika Pavade (FRA) 4,8,3

Robert Gardos/Sofia Polcanova (AUT) v Mattias Falck/Linda Bergström (SWE) 9,3,-10,5

Maharu Yoshimura/Satsuki Odo (JPN) v Kuo Guan-Hong/Huang Yi-Hua (TPE) 3,7,4

Ri Jong Sik/Kim Kum Yong (PRK) v Nicolas Burgos/Paulina Vega (CHI) 3,5,3

Alvaro Robles/Maria Xiao (ESP) v Thitaphat Preechayan/Kulapassr Vijitviriyagul (THA) 3,8,9

Lubomir Pistej/Tatiana Kukulkova (SVK) v Jorge Campos/Daniela Fonseca (CUB) 7,7,9

Guilherme Teodoro/Giulia Takahashi (BRA) v Daniel Berzosa/Veronika Matunina (ESP/UKR) 9,-9,9,-8,7

Wong Chun Ting/Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) v Milhane Jellouli/Amina Kassaci (ALG) 7,5,11

Lim Jonghoon/Shin Yubin (KOR) v Olajide Omotayo/Kabirat Ayoola (NGR) 2,3,4

Samuel Kulczycki/Zuzanna Wieglos (POL) v Thibaut Poret/Leana Hochart (FRA) 9,-9,-7,5,6

Oh Junsung/Kim Nayeong (KOR) v Manush Shah/Diya Chitale (IND) 8,9,2

Lin Yun-Ju/Cheng I-Ching (TPE) v Kristian Karlsson/Christina Källberg (SWE) -9,6,6,4

Sora Matsushima/Miwa Harimoto (JPN) v Ivor Ban/Hana Arapovic (CRO) 8,-8,5-9,9

Youssef Abdelaziz/Mariam Alhodaby (EGY) v Niagol Stoyanov/Giorgia Piccolin (ITA) 7,-6,7,10

Ovidiu Ionescu/Elizabeta Samara (ROU) v Ibrahim Gündüz/Sibel Altinkaya (TUR) 5,6,-5,9

Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha (CHN) v Hugo Calderano/Bruna Takahashi (BRA) 2,7,4

Round of 16

Lin Shidong/Kuai Man (CHN) v Robert Gardos/Sofia Polcanova (AUT) 2,3,6

Maharu Yoshimura/Satsuki Odo (JPN) v Ri Jong Sik/Kim Kum Yong (PRK) 7,10,8

Alvaro Robles/Maria Xiao (ESP) v Lubomir Pistej/Tatiana Kukulkova (SVK) 6,9,6

Wong Chun Ting/Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) v Guilherme Teodoro/Giulia Takahashi (BRA) 9,-8,6,2

Lim Jonghoon/Shin Yubin (KOR) v Samuel Kulczycki/Zuzanna Wieglos (POL) 4,4,5

Lin Yun-Ju/Cheng I-Ching (TPE) v Oh Junsung/Kim Nayeong (KOR) 4,7,-6,9

Sora Matsushima/Miwa Harimoto (JPN) v Youssef Abdelaziz/Mariam Alhodaby (EGY) 11,5,4

Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha (CHN) v Ovidiu Ionescu/Elizabeta Samara (ROU) walk-over

Quarter-Finals

Maharu Yoshimura/Satsuki Odo (JPN) v Lin Shidong/Kuai Man (CHN) -8,5,11,10

Wong Chun Ting/Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) v Alvaro Robles/Maria Xiao (ESP) 1,5,7

Lim Jonghoon/Shin Yubin (KOR) v Lin Yun-Ju/Cheng I-Ching (TPE) 8,9,-6,-7

Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha (CHN) v Sora Matsushima/Miwa Harimoto (JPN) -6,9,9,9

Semi-Finals

Maharu Yoshimura/Satsuki Odo (JPN) v Wong Chun Ting/Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) 8,1,-4,2

Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha (CHN) v Lim Jonghoon/Shin Yubin (KOR) 10,8,14

Final

Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha (CHN) Maharu Yoshimura/Satsuki Odo (JPN) 7,8,-7,8

Full Results: ITTF World Championships Finals

The eventual outcome very much reflected the trend in Doha, Sofia Polcanova and Bernadette Szocs commenced play the number 10 seeds, Kuai Man and Wang Manyu the second seeds. Throughout status prevailed, the most notable exceptions being England’s Tom Jarvis and Frenchman Simon Gauzy, not seeded, each reached the men’s singles last 16, a situation that applied in the women’s singles to Croatia’s Lea Rakovac.

Brave performances and there was a reward for Tom Jarvis. Presented by the Swaythling Club International, he received the Richard Bergmann Fair Play Award. During his last 16 match, serving, Jarvis granted a let when his opponent, Liang Jingkun, believed the ball to be wet.

Overall, only one event was not won by a player or pair not commencing proceedings in the first or second seeded positions; just one exception, in Macao, Hugo Calderano commenced play the fifth seed, the star of the show, in April and May 2025, the man of the moment.

World Table Tennis

ABOVE

Everywhere podium places for Japan

iang Peng and Wang Yidi won the respective men’s and women’s singles titles at the WTT Cham pions Incheon to fly the flag for China, the only World Table Tennis tournament in the three-month period com mencing in April, when Japan did not win gold or silver; they had to settle for bronze, Miwa Harimoto, experienced a semi-final defeat at the hands of Chen Xingtong.

Good form from Miwa

Harimoto in Incheon, soon after it was good form in Tunis. She donned the women’s singles crown at the expense of Hina Hayata, the women’s doubles alongside Miyuu Kihara. In fact, it was almost three top step podium finishes. Partnering Sora Matsushima, the pair concluded the mixed doubles in runners up spot, beaten by Manush Shah and Diya Chitale; perhaps a somewhat surprise result but one that underlines the progress being made by

Success partnering Miyuu Kihara, there was also success for Miwa Harimoto in harness with Satsuki Odo, the duo won in Ljubljana and in Zagreb. Notably, in the latter, they beat Hitomi Sato and Sakura Yokoi

Miwa Harimoto reached the semifinal stage at the WTT Champions tournament before winning in Tunis

RIGHT

Delight for Wang Yidi after securing the final point to secure the women’s singles title in Incheon

WTT CHAMPIONS INCHEON, KOREA REPUBLIC

Tuesday 1st - Sunday 6th April

Men’s Singles

W: Xiang Peng (CHN) RU: Lee Sangsu (KOR)

3rd: Patrick Franziska (GER), Lin Yun-Ju (TPE)

Women’s Singles

W: Wang Yidi (CHN) RU: Chen Xingtong (CHN)

3rd: Zhu Yuling (MAC), Miwa Harimoto (JPN)

Full Results: WTT Champions Incheon

WTT FEEDER HAVIROV, CZECHIA

Saturday 5th - Wednesday 9th April

Men’s Singles

W: Flavien Coton (FRA) RU: Amirreza Abbasi (MLT)

Women’s Singles

W: Hitomi Sato (JPN) RU: Saki Shibata (JPN)

Men’s Doubles

W: Lubomir Pistej/Jakub Zelinka (SVK)

RU: Javen Choong/Shen Wong Qi (MAS)

Women’s Doubles

W: Hitomi Sato/Saki Shibata (JPN)

RU: Choi Hyojoo/Lee Daeun (KOR)

Mixed Doubles

W: Lubomir Pistej/Tatiana Kukulkova (SVK)

RU: Yuhi Sakai/Kotomi Omoda (JPN)

Full Results: WTT Feeder Havirov

Silver for Hitomi Sato but there was gold. In early April in Havirov, she won the women’s singles title beating Saki Shibata in the final, the player with whom she had earlier secured women’s doubles gold. Later in June, the month of May being focused on the ITTF World Championships Finals in Qatar, she repeated the feat in Prishtina. She joined forces with Sakura Yokoi to claim the women’s doubles top prize prior overcoming Camille Lutz of France in the women’s singles final.

Emulating her colleagues, Honoka Hashimoto emerged the women’s singles winner in Taiyuan; a worthy success, she accounted for former Women’s World Cup winner, China’s Zhu Yuling, now representing Macao, in the final. Following suit, Miyu Nagasaki prevailed in Ljubljana, Satsuki Odo in Zagreb.

Asia very much to the fore but there were two notable exceptions, Anna Hursey of Wales reserved the top step of the women’s singles podium in Manchester, supporting the French cause Jia Nan Yuan won in Skopje.

Meanwhile, Japanese male colleagues were not to be outdone. There was men’s singles success for Sora Matsushima in Taiyuan, Kazuhiro Yoshimura in Prishtina and Tomokazu Harimoto in Zagreb. Likewise, promoting the Japanese cause Jo Yokotani and Kotona Okada emerged

mixed doubles winners in Manchester, Ryuusei Kawakami and Kazuki Yoshiyama donned the men’s doubles crown in Prishtina.

Opportunities seized, in men’s singles events it was the same for Frenchmen Flavien Coton in Havirov and Felix Lebrun in Tunisia; in a similar vein, England’s Liam Pitchford struck gold in Manchester, Germany’s Benedikt Duda in Skopje, Brazil’s Hugo Calderano in Ljubljana.

LEFT Xiang Peng the winner at the WTT Champions Incheon BELOW Flavien Coton emerged successful in Havirov

TOP LEFT

Honoka Harimoto used her defensive skills to good effect to win the women’s singles title in Taiyuan

TOP RIGHT

Felix Lebrun added to he ever growing list of titles, he won the men’s singles in Tunis

CENTRE LEFT

Honoka Harimoto used her defensive skills to good effect to win the women’s singles title in Taiyuan

CENTRE LEFT

Liam Pitchford prevailed in Manchester to win his first ever WTT men’s singles title

CENTRE RIGHT

Jia Nan Yuan celebrates after winning the women’s singles title in Skopje

LOWER LEFT

All smiles from Miyu Nagasaki after clinching the final point in Ljubljana

LOWER CENTRE

A determined Tomokazu Harimoto en route to gold in Zagreb

LOWER RIGHT

Success for Satsuki Odo, the women’s singles title secured in Croatia

FACING

Hitomi Sato won in Havirov in April and then in June in Prishtina

WTT CONTENDER TAIYUAN, CHINA

Tuesday 8th - Sunday 13th April

Men’s Singles

W: Sora Matsushima (JPN) RU: An Jaehyun (KOR)

Women’s Singles

W: Honoka Hashimoto (JPN) RU: Zhu Yuling (MAC)

Men’s Doubles

W: Xiang Peng/Xu Yingbin (CHN)

RU: Baldwin Chan/Wong Chun Ting (HKG)

Women’s Doubles

W: Kim Nayeong/Ryu Hanna (KOR)

RU: Chen Yi/Xu Yi (CHN)

Mixed Doubles

W: Lim Jonghoon/Kim Nayeong (KOR)

RU: Xue Fei/Qian Tianyi (CHN)

Full Results: WTT Contender Taiyuan

WTT CONTENDER TUNIS, TUNISIA

Tuesday 22nd - Sunday 27th April

Men’s Singles

W: Felix Lebrun (FRA) RU: Anders Lind (DEN)

Women’s Singles

W: Miwa Harimoto (JPN) RU: Hina Hayata (JPN)

Men’s Doubles

W: Andre Bertelsmeier/Benedikt Duda (GER)

RU: Li Hechen/Wu Yifei (CHN)

Women’s Doubles

W: Miwa Harimoto/Miyuu Kihara (JPN)

RU: Satsuki Odo/Sakura Yokoi (JPN)

Mixed Doubles

W: Manush Shah/Diya Chitale (IND)

RU: Sora Matsushima/Miwa Harimoto (JPN)

Full Results: WTT Contender Tunis

WTT FEEDER MANCHESTER, ENGLAND

Thursday 24th - Sunday 27th April

Men’s Singles

W: Liam Pitchford (ENG) RU: Samuel Kulczycki (POL)

Women’s Singles

W: Anna Hursey (WAL) RU: Eva Rad (ESP)

Men’s Doubles

W: Paul Drinkhall/Sam Walker (ENG)

RU: Rafael de Las Heras/Diego Lillo (ESP)

Women’s Doubles

W: Dina Meshref/Zeng Jian (EGY/SGP)

RU: Krittwika Roy/Sayali Wani (IND)

Mixed Doubles

W: Jo Yokotani/Kotona Okada (JPN)

RU: Connor Green/Sophie Earley (ENG)

Full Results: WTT Feeder Manchester

WTT FEEDER PRISHTINA, KOSOVO

Tuesday 3rd - Saturday 7th June

Men’s Singles

W: Kazuhiro Yoshimura (JPN) RU: Elias Ranefur (SWE)

Women’s Singles

W: Hitomi Sato (JPN) RU: Camille Lutz (FRA)

Men’s Doubles

W: Ryuusei Kawakami/Kazuki Yoshiyama (JPN)

RU: Ibrahim Gündüz/Abdullah Yigenler (TUR)

Women’s Doubles

W: Hitomi Sato/Sakura Yokoi (JPN)

RU: Kaho Akae/Misuzu Takeya (JPN)

Mixed Doubles

W: Gustavo Gomez/Daniela Ortega (CHI)

RU: Chang Yu-An/Cheng Pusyuan (TPE)

Full Results: WTT Feeder Prishtina

WTT CONTENDER SKOPJE, MACEDONIA

Monday 9th - Sunday 15th June

Men’s Singles

W: Benedikt Duda (GER) RU: Wen Ruibo (CHN)

Women’s Singles

W: Jia Nan Yuan (FRA) RU: Fan Shuhan (CHN)

Men’s Doubles

W: Lim Jonghoon/Oh Junsung (KOR)

RU: Manush Shah/Manav Thakkar (IND)

Women’s Doubles

W: Kim Nayeong/Ryu Hanna (KOR)

RU: Satsuki Odo/Sakura Yokoi (JPN)

Mixed Doubles

W: Kristian Karlsson/Christina Källberg (SWE)

RU: Zeng Beixun/Feng Yixuan (CHN)

Full Results: WTT Contender Skopje

WTT STAR CONTENDER LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA

Tuesday 17th - Sunday 22nd June

Men’s Singles

W: Hugo Calderano (BRA) RU: Felix Lebrun (FRA)

Women’s Singles

W: Miyu Nagasaki (JPN) RU: Miyuu Kihara (JPN)

Men’s Doubles

W: An Jaehyun/Lim Jonghoon (KOR)

RU: Alexis Lebrun/Felix Lebrun (FRA)

Women’s Doubles

W: Miwa Harimoto/Satsuki Odo (JPN)

RU: Choi Hyojoo/Shin Yubin (KOR)

Mixed Doubles

W: Lim Jonghoon/Shin Yubin (KOR)

RU: Hugo Calderano/Bruna Takahashi (BRA)

Full Results: WTT Star Contender Ljubljana

WTT CONTENDER, ZAGREB, CROATIA

Tuesday 24th - Sunday 29th June

Men’s Singles

W: Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) RU: Chen Yuanyu (CHN)

Women’s Singles

W: Satsuki Odo (JPN) RU: Shi Xunyao (CHN)

Men’s Doubles

W: Wong Chun Ting/Baldwin Chan (HKG)

RU: Huang Youzheng/Xue Fei (CHN)

Women’s Doubles

W: Miwa Harimoto/Satsuki Odo (JPN)

RU: Hitomi Sato/Sakura Yokoi (JPN)

Mixed Doubles

W: Lim Jonghoon/Shin Yubin (KOR)

RU: Huang Youzheng/Chen Yi (CHN)

Full Results: WTT Contender Zagreb

World Table Tennis Youth

Anna Hursey endorses worthy claim

Laying just claim to rapidly becoming the best player ever to emerge from Wales; in the month of April, Anna Hursey underlined that fact.

She won the under 19 girls’ singles in Zrenjanin, before winning not once but twice in Metz. She prevailed at the Youth Contender event prior to gaining the same result in the ensuing Youth Star Contender tournament.

Aquije, Malaysia’s Dania Moud and Uzbekistan’s Arujan Kamaleva, as well as from the Japanese trio formed by Wakana Enomoto, Rin Mende and Misuzu Takeya.

BELOW

Anna Hursey won three under 19 girls’ singles titles. She succeeded in the Serbian city of Zrenjanin before emerging successful at the Youth Contender Metz and at the Youth Star Contender Metz

Equally, in Zrenjanin, Chinese Taipei’s Li JenHueh was in form. She won the under 15 and under 13 girls’ singles titles. Later, she was very much in evidence in Prishtina and New York, on both occasions she was the under 13 girls’ singles winner. Likewise, from Chinese Taipei, Wu Jia-En won the under 19 girls’ singles and under 17 girls’ singles titles in Panagyurishte, the following week, compatriot Peng Yu-Han emulated the feat in Platja d’Aro.

Impressive performances from aspiring young ladies, it was the same from Peru’s Natzumi

In Cuenca, Natzumi Aquije won the under 19 and under 17 girls’ singles titles; Arujan Kamaleva did the same in Tashkent. Dania Moud, having been the under 15 girls’ singles runner up in Platja d’Aro in May, secured the under 13 girls’ singles titles in Helsingborg and Sandefjord.

Also, in Helsingborg, Rin Mende reserved under 19 girls’ singles gold, having earlier in April succeeded in San Francisco, a city where she departed with two titles. Additionally, she partnered the host nation’s Bosman Botha, to under 19 mixed doubles gold.

Gold in San Francisco, it was the same for Wakana Enomoto; she won both the under 15 and under 13 girls’ singles events. Meanwhile, in New York, as the month of June closed, Misuza

Takeya impressed; she claimed the under 19 and under 17 girls’ singles top prizes. Success for Japan, there was also notable success for male counterparts. Ryuusei Kawakami won the under 19 and under 17 boys’ singles titles in San Francisco. Later in Prishtina he repeated the under 17 boys’ singles triumph, prior to emerging the under 19 mixed doubles silver medallist alongside Misuzu Takeya.

Not to be overshadowed, col league, Shunto Iwaida, se cured both the under 19 and under 17 boys’ singles titles in Sandefjord, having a few days earlier in Helsingborg experiencing the same success in the former, runners up spot in the latter

However, the man of the moment was Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Hsien-Chia. He won

three under 17 boys’ singles events, succeeding in Bangkok, Panagyurishte and Platja d’Aro. Additionally in Panagyurishte he added the under 19 boys’ singles title; furthermore, in Helsingborg and Sandefjord he partnered Chen Min-Hsin to under 19 mixed doubles gold.

Similarly at the Youth Star Contender Metz, Kazakhstan’s Alan Kurmangaliyev won the under 19 boys’ singles, Colombia’s Emanuel Otalvaro, the under 15 boys’ singles. Later, Kurmangaliyev repeated the feat in Tashkent, Otalvaro secured the under 19 boys’ singles title in Monteria. Likewise at the Youth Contender Metz, New Zealand’s Eli Ho won both under 15 and under 13 boys’ singles events.

Add Uganda’s Joseph Sebantindira, he won under 11 boys’ singles gold at the Youth Contender Metz; the conclusion is promising, in the three-month period from April to June, every ITTF continent won at least one title at WTT Youth events.

LEFT Li Jen-Hueh is most certainly a name to note; in a period of three months, she won no less than four under 13 girls’ singles events; in Zrenjanin she added the under 15 girls’ singles title. Also, she was the under 15 girls’ singles runner up in both Prishtina and New York

WTT YOUTH CONTENDER CUENCA, ECUADOR

Tuesday 1st - Friday 4th April

U19 Boys’ Singles

W: Joshua Robayo (ECU) RU: Sudhanshu Maini (IND)

U19 Girls’ Singles

W: Natzumi Aquije (PER) RU: Keimy Achundia (ECU)

U19 Mixed Doubles

W: Joshua Robayo/Keimy Achundia (ECU)

RU: Boris Villavicencio/Maybelline Menendez (ECU)

U17 Boys’ Singles

W: Sudhanshu Maini (IND) RU: Boris Villavicencio (ECU)

U17 Girls’ Singles

W: Natzumi Aquije (PER) RU: Karolayn Maldono (ECU)

U15 Boys’ Singles

W: Boris Villavicencio (ECU) RU: Joaquin Velez (ECU) U15 Girls’ Singles

W: Alice Barros (BRA) RU: Zarahys Rivandeira (ECU) U15 Mixed Doubles

W: Matias Baldeon/Emily Macay (ECU)

RU: Boris Villavicencio/Karolayn Maldono (ECU)

U13 Boys’ Singles

W: Josue Perez (ECU) RU: Bruno Di Girolamo (ARG)

U13 Girls’ Singles

W: Bianca Borges (BRA) RU: Alice Barros (BRA)

U11 Boys’ Singles

W: Luis Ferreira (ECU) RU: Alexis Romero (ECU)

U11 Girls’ Singles

W: Thayra Buitron (ECU) RU: Aurora Franco (ECU)

Full Results: WTT Youth Contender Cuenca

WTT YOUTH CONTENDER ZRENJANIN, SERBIA

Saturday 5th - Wednesday 9th April

U19 Boys’ Singles

W: Daniel Berzosa (ESP) RU: Wassim Essid (TUN)

U19 Girls’ Singles

W: Anna Hursey (WAL) RU: Bianca Mei Rosu (ROU)

U19 Mixed Doubles

W: Wassim Essid/Josephina Neumann (TUN/GER)

RU: Dragos Bujor/Vivien Tamas (ROU)

U17 Boys’ Singles

W: Robert Istrate (ROU) RU: Robert Podar (ROU)

U17 Girls’ Singles

W: Josephina Neumann (GER) RU: Nina Skerbinz (AUT)

U15 Boys’ Singles

W: Lenard Szabo (HUN) RU: Kacper Piwowar (ENG)

U15 Girls’ Singles

W: Li Jen-Yueh (TPE) RU: Farida Omar (EGY)

U15 Mixed Doubles

W: Kacper Piwowar/Natalia Wszolek (ENG/POL)

RU: Stefan Bonchev/Polina Encheva (BUL)

U13 Boys’ Singles

W: Filip Nagy (SVK) RU: Mohammed Almusayebi (UAE)

U13 Girls’ Singles

W: Li Jen-Yueh (TPE) RU: Natalia Wszolek (POL)

U11 Boys’ Singles

W: Vladimir Filimon (ROU) RU: Ganiou Abdourahaman (BEN)

U11 Girls’ Singles

W: Andreea Prohorovici (MDA) RU: Hanna Varga (SRB)

Full Results: WTT Youth Contender Zrenjanin

WTT YOUTH CONTENDER SAN FRANCISCO II Saturday 5th - Tuesday 8th April

U19 Boys’ Singles

W: Ryuusei Kawakami (JPN) RU: Nandan Naresh (USA)

U19 Girls’ Singles

W: Rin Mende (JPN) RU: Sally Moyland (USA)

U19 Mixed Doubles

W: Bosman Botha/Rin Mende (USA/JPN)

RU: Daniel Tran/Umi Nakada (USA/JPN)

U17 Boys’ Singles

W: Ryuusei Kawakami (JPN) RU: Charles Shen (USA)

U17 Girls’ Singles

W: Umi Nakada (JPN) RU: Stuti Kashyap (ANT)

U15 Boys’ Singles

W: Eli Ho (NZL) RU: Jayden Cai (USA)

U15 Girls’ Singles

W: Wakana Enomoto (JPN) RU: Abigail Yu (USA)

U15 Mixed Doubles

W: Kef Noorani/Irene Yeoh (USA)

RU: Jaden Jia/Abigail Yu (USA)

U13 Boys’ Singles

W: Eli Ho (NZL) RU: Chirag Pradhan (USA)

U13 Girls’ Singles

W: Wakana Enomoto (JPN) RU: Isabella Joseph (USA)

U11 Boys’ Singles

W: Ali Afrakhteh (USA) RU: William Jin (USA)

U11 Girls’ Singles

W: Holly Huang (USA) RU: Natalie Chang (USA)

Full Results: WTT Youth Contender San Francisco II

LEFT

Joseph Sebatindira the under 11 boys’ singles winner at the WTT Youth Contender Metz

CENTRE

Hsu Hsien-Chia won under 17 boys’ singles gold in Bangkok, Panagyurishte and Platja d’Aro. In Panagyurishte he added the under 19 boys’ singles title

RIGHT

Emanuel Otalvaro secured the under 19 boys’ singles title in Monteria, having earlier claimed under 15 boys’ singles gold at the Youth Star Contender Metz

WTT YOUTH CONTENDER METZ, FRANCE

Monday 7th - Thursday 10th April

U19 Boys’ Singles

W: Yang Hao-Jen (TPE) RU: Hung Jing-Kai (TPE)

W: U19 Girls’ Singles

W: Anna Hursey (WAL) RU: Wu Ying-Syuan (TPE)

U19 Mixed Doubles

W: Hung Jing-Kai/Wu Ying-Syuan (TPE) RU: Jesus Tovar/Dakota Ferrer (VEN)

U17 Boys’ Singles

W: Nathan Pilard (FRA) RU: Adam Wallin (SWE) U17 Girls’ Singles

W: Heo Yerim (KOR) RU: Syndrela Das (IND)

U15 Boys’ Singles

W: Kenan Kahraman (TUR) RU: Cui Zijun (CHN) U15 Girls’ Singles

W: Lu Aimi (CHN) RU: Anna Walter (GER) U15 Mixed Doubles

W: Ladimir Mayorov/Renata Shypsha (ESP) RU: Zhou Kaien/Zhou Yufei (CHN)

U13 Boys’ Singles

W: Simon Clin (FRA) RU: Koh Wei Yeow (MAS) U13 Girls’ Singles

W: Yeung Yee Lam (HKG) RU: Chloe Huang (FRA)

U11 Boys’ Singles

W: Joseph Sebatindira (UGA) RU: Hachim Tissafi Idrissi (FRA)

U11 Girls’ Singles

W: Kaja Tvorogal (LTU) RU: Alyssia Bataille (FRA)

Full Results: WTT Youth Contender Metz

WTT YOUTH STAR CONTENDER METZ, FRANCE

Friday 11th - Sunday 13th April

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Alan Kurmangaliyev (KAZ) RU: Yang Hao-Jen (TPE)

Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Anna Hursey (WAL) RU: Hu Yi (CHN)

Under 19 Boys’ Doubles

W: Kwon Hyuk/Lee Jungmok (KOR)

RU: William Bergenblock/Ankur Bhattacharjee (SWE/IND)

Under 19 Girls’ Doubles

W: Wu Jia-En/Wu Ying Syuan (TPE)

RU: Hu Yi/Yao Ruixuan (CHN)

Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Nathan Pilard/Nina Guo Zheng (FRA)

RU: Rafal Formela/Natalia Bogdanowicz (POL)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Emanuel Otalvaro (COL) RU: Shouren Soman (IND)

Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Zhu Qihui (CHN) RU: Heo Yerim (KOR)

Under 15 Boys’ Doubles

W: Kenan Kahraman/Gorkem Ocal (TUR)

RU: Francesco Trevisan/Danilo Faso (ITA)

Under 15 Girls’ Doubles

W: Lin Wan-Rong/Liao Yixuan (TPE)

RU: Lou-Anne Bocquet/Alexia Nodin (FRA)

Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: Zhou Kaien/Zhu Qihui (CHN)

RU: Francesco Trevisan/Hanka Kodet (ITA/CZE)

Full Results: WTT Youth Star Contender Metz

WTT YOUTH CONTENDER SARAJEVO, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

Tuesday 22nd - Friday 25th April

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Benyamin Faraji (IRI) RU: Miha Podobnik (SLO)

Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Vaishnavi Jaiswal (IND) RU: Lisa Wang (GER)

Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Pavol Kokavec/Sofiia Sheredeha (SVK/UKR)

RU: Robert Podar/Vivien Tamas (ROU)

Under 17 Boys’ Singles

W: Lowis Vogler (SUI) RU: Matyas Koleckar (CZE)

Under 17 Girls’ Singles

W: Lorena Morsch (GER) Ankolika Chakraborty (IND)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Lucas Wang (GER) RU: Vitor Thiofilo (BRA)

Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Ankolika Chakraborty (IND) RU: Rokaia Elbaz (QAT)

Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: Elias-Mate Simo/Michelle Wu (SUI)

RU: Lowis Vogler/Enya Hu (SUI)

Under 13 Boys’ Singles

W: Jeffrey Wei (GER) RU: Jonathan Kraft (GER)

Under 13 Girls’ Singles

W: Michelle Wu (SUI) RU: Enya Hu (SUI)

Under 11 Boys’ Singles

W: Nikan Shirvani (IRI) RU: Nicolae Bucur (MDA)

Under 11 Girls’ Singles

W: Elina Hu (SUI) RU: Racha Loghraibi (QAT)

Full Results: WTT Youth Contender Sarajevo

WTT YOUTH CONTENDER BANGKOK, THAILAND Monday 28th April - Thursday 1st May

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Kazuki Yoshiyama (JPN) RU: Takumi Tanimoto (JPN)

Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Heo Yerim (KOR) RU: Wu Jia-En (TPE)

Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Hung Jing-Kai/Wu Jia-En (TPE)

RU: Lee Jungmok/Choi Nahyun (KOR)

Under 17 Boys’ Singles

W: Hsu Hsien-Chia (TPE) RU: Yu Haiyang (CHN)

Under 17 Girls’ Singles

W: Wu Ying-Syuan (TPE) RU: Kuo Yu-Hsuan (TPE)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Chen Kai-Cheng (TPE) RU: Zhou Kaien (CHN)

Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Lin Wan-Rong (TPE) RU: Kuo Yu-Hsuan (TPE)

Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: Rin Tachikawa/Miku Matsushima (JPN)

RU: Ritvik Gupta/Ananya Muralidharan (IND)

Under 13 Boys’ Singles

W: Lee Juchan (KOR) RU: Hayato Tamba (JPN)

Under 13 Girls’ Singles

W: Qinle Xia (AUS) RU: Lai Oi Sum (HKG)

Under 11 Boys’ Singles

W: Lian Yunyi (SGP) RU: Andya Mohammed (IRQ)

Under 11 Girls’ Singles

W: Yong Wan Suan (MAS) RU: Boonyaporn Meekaew (THA)

Full Results: WTT Youth Contender Bangkok

WTT YOUTH STAR CONTENDER BANGKOK, THAILAND

Friday 2nd - Sunday 4th May

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Kazuki Yoshiyama (JPN) RU: Choi Jiwook (KOR)

Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Yeh Yi-Tan (TPE) RU: Wu Ying-Syuan (TPE)

Under 19 Boys’ Doubles

W: Ankur Bhattacharjee/Abhinandh Pradhivadhi (IND)

RU: Lee Jungmok/Choi Jiwook (KOR)

Under 19 Girls’ Doubles

W: Wikaram Tayapitak/Phatsaraphon Wonglakhon (THA)

RU: Divyanshi/Syndrela Das (IND)

Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Wang Zining/Yang Huize (CHN)

RU: Wong Wan Hei/Mak Ming Shum (HKG)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Yu Haiyang (CHN) RU: Zhou Guanhong (CHN)

Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Liu Ziling (CHN) RU: Divyanshi Bhowmick (IND)

Under 15 Boys’ Doubles

W: Cheng Min-Hsiu/Yu Yi-Cing (TPE)

RU: Chen Kai-Cheng/Cheng Yuan-Lun (TPE) Under 15 Girls’ Doubles

W: Liu Ziling/Zhao Eangqi (CHN)

RU: Ria Bhoota/Ananya Muralidharan (IND) Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: Yu Yi-Cing/Kuo Yu-Hsuan (TPE)

RU: Thitaphat Preechayan/Kulapassr Vijitviriyaguk (THA)

Full Results: WTT Youth Star Contender Bangkok

WTT YOUTH CONTENDER MONTERIA, COLOMBIA

Tuesday 13th - Friday 16th May

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Emanuel Otalvaro (COL) RU: Enrique Rios (PUR)

Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Edmarie Leon (PUR) RU: Dakota Ferrer (VEN)

Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Enrique Rios/Kristal Melendez (PUR)

RU: Lucas Romanski/Beatriz Fiore (BRA)

Under 17 Boys’ Singles

W: Steven Moreno (PUR) RU: Hamilton Yamane (BRA)

Under 17 Girls’ Singles

W: Lin Wan-Rong (TPE) RU: Valentina Davila (PUR)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Vitor Thiofilo (BRA) RU: Leandro Ferreira (BRA)

Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Lin Wan-Rong (TPE) RU: Maiara Agnone (BRA)

Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: Vitor Thiofilo/Maiara Agnone (BRA)

RU: Matthew Cao/Catalina Ramirez (PUR/CHI)

Under 13 Boys’ Singles

W: Boris Villavicencio (ECU) RU: Martin Lopez (COL)

Under 13 Girls’ Singles

W: Luiza Fontayne (BRA) RU: Sara Chamorro (COL)

Under 11 Boys’ Singles

W: Yaucel Alvarez (CUB) RU: Juan Echavarria (CUB)

Under 11 Girls’ Singles

W: Sara Chamorro (COL) RU: Loriadni Pineda (VEN)

Full Results: WTT Youth Contender Monteria

WTT YOUTH CONTENDER PANAGYURISHTE, BULGARIA Thursday 15th - Sunday 18th May

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Hsu Hsien-Chia (TPE) RU: Hung Jing-Kai (TPE) Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Wu Jia-En (TPE) RU: Peng Yu-Han (TPE) Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Robert Istrate/Bianca Mei-Rosu (ROU)

RU: Dragos Bujor/Alexandra Dicu (ROU)

Under 17 Boys’ Singles

W: Hsu Hsien-Chia (TPE) RU: Shig Jia-Hong (TPE)

Under 17 Girls’ Singles

W: Wu Jia-En (TPE) RU: Peng Yu-Han (TPE)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Yu Yi-Cing (TPE) RU: Hsu An-Pao (TPE)

Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Kuo Yu-Hsuan (TPE) RU: Lu Yu-En (TPE)

Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: Yu Yi-Cing/Kuo Yu-Hsuan (TPE)

RU: Hsu An-Pao/Lu Yu-En (TPE)

Under 13 Boys’ Singles

W: Stefan Bonchev (BUL) RU: Koh Wei Yeow (TPE)

Under 13 Girls’ Singles

W: Zhaniya Bekmukhambetova (KAZ) RU: Bianca Toma (ROU)

Under 11 Boys’ Singles

W: Mark Voronoi (UKR) RU: David Drobov (UKR)

Under 11 Girls’ Singles

W: Bianca Toma (ROU) RU: Lidia Shyian (UKR)

Full Results: WTT Youth Contender Panagyurishte

LEFT

Alan Kurmangaliyev emerged the under 19 boys’ singles winner at the Youth Star Contender Metz and at the Youth Contender Tashkent

CENTRE LEFT

Arujan Kamalova won both the under 19 and under 17 girls’ singles titles in Tashkent

CENTRE RIGHT

Dania Moud won the under 13 girls’ singles titles in Helsingborg and Sandfjord.

FAR RIGHT

Rin Mende claimed under 19 girls’ singles titles in San Francisco and Helsingborg

WTT YOUTH CONTENDER PLATJA D’ARO, SPAIN

Tuesday 20th - Friday 23rd May

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Hung Jing-Kai (TPE) RU: Lleyton Ullmann (GER) Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Peng Yu-Han (TPE) RU: Veronika Matiunina (UKR) Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Hung Jing-Kai/Wu Jia-En (TPE) RU: Lin Chin-Ting/Peng Yu-Han (TPE)

Under 17 Boys’ Singles

W: Hsu Hsien-Chia (TPE) RU: Shih Jia-Hong (TPE) Under 17 Girls’ Singles

W: Peng Yu-Han (TPE) RU: Nina Skerbinz (AUT)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Hsu An-Pao (TPE) RU: Cheng Yuan-Lun (TPE) Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Yu Zheng Cheah (MAS) RU: Dania Mohd (MAS) Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: Hsu An-Pao/Lu Yu-En (TPE)

RU: Ladimir Mayorov/Renata Shypsha (ESP)

Under 13 Boys’ Singles

W: Koh Wei Yeow (MAS) RU: Pietro Campagna IITA)

Under 13 Girls’ Singles

W: Zhaniya Bekmukhambetova (KAZ) RU: Enya Hu (SUI)

Under 11 Boys’ Singles

W: Daniel Casquero (ESP) RU: Mael Laouenan (FRA)

Under 11 Girls’ Singles

W: Karen Yang (ESP) RU: Lucia Lazaro (ESP)

Full Results: WTT Youth Contender Platja d’Aro

WTT YOUTH CONTENDER TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN

Wednesday 28th - Saturday 31st May

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Alan Kurmangaliyev (KAZ) RU: Benyamin Faraji (IRI) Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Arujan Kamalova (UZB) RU: Asel Erkebaeva (UZB)

Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Abdulla Mamay/Noila Khaniyazova (KAZ)

RU: Khurshid Akhmedov/Asel Erkebaeva (UZB)

Under 17 Boys’ Singles

W: Benyamin Faraji (IRI) RU: Arshia Lorestani (IRI)

Under 17 Girls’ Singles

W: Arujan Kamalova (UZB) RU: Setayesh Iloukhani (IRI)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Mobin Amiri (IRI) RU: Arshia Lorestani (IRI)

Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Tanishka Kalbhairav (IND) RU: Adelina Khasanova (UZB)

Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: Lee Hong An/Adelina Khasanova (MAS/UZB)

RU: Eshaan Nayak/Naisha Rewaskar (IND)

Under 13 Boys’ Singles

W: Yousuf Hanifa (KAZ) RU: Nasser Al-Marri (UAE)

Under 13 Girls’ Singles

W: Daniya Godil (IND) RU: Tanishka Kalbhairav (IND)

Under 11 Boys’ Singles

W: Khusen Iskandarov (UZB) RU: Lochinbek Abdulhalilov (UZB)

Under 11 Girls’ Singles

W: Adelya Alzhanova (KAZ) RU: Nazerke Bolatbek (KAZ)

Full results: WTT Youth Contender Tashkent

WTT YOUTH CONTENDER PRISHTINA, KOSOVO

Thursday 29th May - Sunday 1st June

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Kwon Hyuk (KOR) RU: Daniel Faso (ITA) Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Yoo Yerin (KOR) RU: Syndrela Das (IND) Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Kwon Hyuk/Yoo Yerin (KOR)

RU: Ryuusei Kawakami/Misuzu Takeya (JPN)

Under 17 Boys’ Singles

W: Ryuusei Kawakami (JPN) RU: Arthur Dubois (FRA) Under 17 Girls’ Singles

W: Wu Ying-Syuan (TPE) RU: Yoo Yerin (KOR)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Malik Severinsen (DEN) RU: Jeffrey Wei (GER) Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Lin Wan-Rong (TPE) RU: Li Jen-Yueh (TPE) Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: Kacper Piwowar/Maria Picu (ENG/ITA)

RU: Jacob Huang/Li Jen-Yueh (AUS/TPE)

Under 13 Boys’ Singles

W: Stefan Bonchev (BUL) RU: Krasen Savov (BUL) Under 13 Girls’ Singles

W: Li Jen-Yueh (TPE) RU: Kalina Stefanova (BUL)

Under 11 Boys’ Singles

W: Rabeah Al-Kuwari (QAT) RU: Taavi Samaraweera (SRI) Under 11 Girls’ Singles

W: Racha Loghraibi (QAT) RU: Kleio Madesi (GRE)

Full Results: WTT Youth Contender Prishtina

WTT YOUTH CONTENDER HELSINGBORG, SWEDEN

Friday 6th - Monday 9th June

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Shunto Iwaida (JPN) RU: Marcel Blaszczyk (POL) Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Rin Mende (JPN) RU: Mao Takamori (JPN) Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Hsu Hsien-Chia/Chen Min-Hsin (TPE)

RU: Patryk Zyworonek/Katarzyna Rajkowska (POL)

Under 17 Boys’ Singles

W: Tamito Watanabe (JPN) RU: Shunto Iwaida (JPN) Under 17 Girls’ Singles

W: Mao Takamori (JPN) RU: Heo Yerim (KOR)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Ukyo Kobayashi (JPN) RU: Soma Ono (JPN) Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Aoba Takahashi (JPN) RU: Cocona Muramatsu (JPN) Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: Soma Ono/Cocona Muramatsu (JPN)

RU: Ukyo Kobayashi/Aoba Takahashi (JPN)

Under 13 Boys’ Singles

W: Simon Clin (FRA) RU: Yasin Shoaritehrani (IRI)

Under 13 Girls’ Singles

W: Dania Mohd (MAS) RU: Tanishka Kalbhairav (IND)

Under 11 Boys’ Singles

W: Yasin Shoaritehrani (IRI) RU: Taavi Samaraweera (SRI)

Under 11 Girls’ Singles

W: Zeina Farouk (EGY) RU: Malgorzata Jasinska (POL)

Full Results: WTT Youth Contender Helsingborg

WTT YOUTH CONTENDER SANDFJORD, NORWAY

Wednesday 11th - Saturday 14th June

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Shunto Iwaida (JPN) RU: Hsu Hsien-Chia (TPE)

Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Sachi Aoki (JPN) RU: Mao Takamori (JPN) Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Hsu Hsien-Chia/Chen Min-Hsin (TPE) RU: Wassim Essid/Julia Leal (TUN/POR)

Under 17 Boys’ Singles

W: Shunto Iwaida (JPN) RU: Ukyo Kobayashi (JPN)

Under 17 Girls’ Singles

W: Cocona Muramatsu (JPN) RU: Mao Takamori (JPN)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Ukyo Kobayashi (JPN) RU: Sora Okada (JPN) Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Karin Hanazawa (JPN) RU: Cocona Muramatsu (JPN) Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: Ladimir Mayorov/Renata Shypsha (ESP)

RU: Kacper Piwowar/Natalia Wszolek (ENG/POL)

Under 13 Boys’ Singles

W: Yasin Shoaritehrani (IRI) RU: Faiz Muhammad (MAS)

Under 13 Girls’ Singles

W: Dania Mohd (MAS) RU: Tanishka Kalbhairav (IND

Under 11 Boys’ Singles

W: Yasin Shoaritehrani (IRI) RU: Rapolas Petrauskas (LTU)

Under 11 Girls’ Singles

Not held

Full Results: WTT Youth Contender Sandfjord

WTT YOUTH CONTENDER NEW YORK, UNITED STATES

Tuesday 24th - Friday 27th June

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Nandan Naresh (USA) RU: Aditya Sareen (AUS)

Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Misuzu Takeya (JPN) RU: Kheith Cruz (PHI)

Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Aditya Sareen/Kheith Cruz (AUS/PHI)

RU: Sudhanshu Maini/Prisha Goel (IND)

Under 17 Boys’ Singles

W: Steven Moreno (PUR) RU: Enrique Rios (PUR)

Under 17 Girls’ Singles

W: Misuzu Takeya (JPN) RU: Irene Yeoh (USA)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Andy Maquiera (CUB) RU: Sanuka Herath (CAN) Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Sunny Zhang (CAN) RU: Li Jen-Yueh (TPE)

Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: Kef Nodrani/Irene Yeoh (USA)

RU: Jaden Jia/Abigail Yu (USA)

Under 13 Boys’ Singles

W: Jaden Jia (USA) RU: Alexandre Guay (CAN)

Under 13 Girls’ Singles

W: Li Jen-Yueh (TPE) RU: Amber Lin (CAN)

Under 11 Boys’ Singles

W: Saivaishnav Senthilkumar (USA) RU: Kevin Yang (CAN)

Under 11 Girls’ Singles

W: Tanisha Balamurugan (USA) RU: Coco Zhang (CAN)

Full Results: WTT Youth Contender New York

Regional

Full house, days to remember

AABOVE

Daniel Ortega was very much the player in form at the South American Championships in Lima

RIGHT

Edmarie Leon shone for Puerto Rico in Barbados, she secured all four available titles

clean sweep of all four available ti tles, whatever the level of experience, whatever the occasion, it is always a special feat, one which will stay in memory for life; in recent months, the achievement was realised in April by Puerto Rico’s Edmarie Leon and Matthew Cao, in June by Australia’s Nicholas Lum, Yangzi Liu and Constantina Psihogios, as well as by New Zealand’s August Xiao and Chile’s Daniela Ortega.

At the Caribbean Re gional Youth Cham pionships staged in Bridgetown, in the under 19 age group Ed marie Leon, after play

ing a major role in securing the girls’ team title, emerged successful in the girls’ doubles and mixed doubles prior to being crowned the Imposing from Edmarie Leon it was no different in the under 15 age category for Matthew Cao. Additional to boys’ team success he added the mixed doubles and boys’ doubles before beating his team and doubles partner, Sergio Perez

Overall, Puerto Rico captured 12 of the 14 titles available, the errant events being secured by the Dominican Republic. Rafael Cabrera won the under 19 boys’ singles, Eduardo Darley and Yoel Mendoza the counterpart boys’ doubles.

Even more comprehensive, at the ITTF Oceania Championships, the efforts of Nicholas Lum and Yangzi Liu meant it was the complete set for Australia. Success apart in the respective team, singles and doubles events, as well as when united in the mixed doubles.

Following suit, at the immediately ensuing ITTF Oceania Youth Championships, Constantina Psihogios emulated her more senior colleagues. In the under 19 events, after being pivotal to girls’ team success, she won the mixed doubles, girls’ doubles and girls’ singles titles, the result one better than compatriot Aditya Sareen. He finished just one step short of a full house. Partnering Won Bae, the duo had to settle for boys’ doubles silver, beaten in the final by colleagues Clarence Cheng and Chulong Nie.

More titles for Australia but no full house, New Zealand’s August Xiao made sure there was no such outcome. In the under 15 events he cap tured the full gambit, after guiding his compa triots to boys’ team success, he won mixed doubles, boys’ doubles and boys’ singles gold.

BELOW

Matthew Cao secured all four available titles in the under 15 age group in Barbados at the Caribbean Regional Youth Championships

Consistency a key factor, it was the same from Daniela Ortega at the South American Regional Championships in Lima. Titles claimed in the mixed doubles, women’s doubles and women’s singles events, she proved the backbone of Chilean success in the women’s team event; most importantly remaining unbeaten throughout.

Impressive performances, in April it was the same from Mexico’s Rogelio Castro, in May from Guatemala’s Ricardo Gatica, in June from Puerto Rico’s Angel Naranjo and Brianna Burgos, as well as from China’s Wen Ruibo. All departed with three titles.

At the Central American Regional Championships in San José, after being runner up in the men’s team event, Rogelio Castro won all three individual events – mixed doubles, men’s doubles and men’s singles. Later, at the Central American Regional Youth Championships, on home soil, Ricardo Gatica enjoyed under 19 success, winning boys’ team, boys’ doubles and boys’ singles titles. u

Also, responding to the occasion at the Caribbean Regional Championships, Angel Naranjo and Brianna Burgos enjoyed success in the respective, team, singles and doubles event; the mixed doubles won by Cuba’s Jorge Campos and Daniela Fonseca eluding Puerto Rican hands. Likewise, for Wen Ruibo, at the Asian Youth Championships in Tashkent, in the under 19 age group, he claimed boys’ team gold prior to winning the boys’ doubles and boys’ singles titles.

In a similar vein In the under 19 events Japan’s Sachi Aoki captured two titles. She won the girls’ singles and girls’ doubles events. Meanwhile, in the under 15 category where just singles and doubles events were held, China’s Zhou Guanhong prevailed in both the boys’ singles and boys’ doubles.

A notable win but somewhat overshadowed by Divyanshi Bhowmick, she became the first Indian player to win the under 15 girls’ singles title since Subramanian Bhuvaneswari in1989 when the tournament was held in New Delhi.

CENTRAL AMERICA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA

Tuesday 1st - Sunday 6th April

Men’s Team

W: Guatemala (Luis Carrillo, Sergio Carrillo, Ricardo Gatica, Ian Morales)

RU: Mexico (Andreas Avila, Rogelio Castro, Axel Lovo, Leonardo Perez)

Women’s Team

W: Guatemala (Lucia Cordero, Jenny Cux, Mabelyn Enriquez, Hidalyn Zapata)

RU: Mexico (Arantxa Cossio, Lucia Fernandez, Monica Muñoz, Alba Reyes)

Men’s Singles

W: Rogelio Castro (MEX) RU: Daniel Araya (CRC) Women’s Singles

W: Arantxa Cossio (MEX) RU: Monica Muñoz (MEX)

Men’s Doubles

W: Rogelio Castro/Axel Lovo (MEX)

RU: Andres Avila/Leonardo Perez ((MEX)

Women’s Doubles

W: Lucia Cordero/Hidalyn Zapata (GUA)

RU: Angie Araya/Victoria Castro (CRC)

Mixed Doubles

W: Rogelio Castro/Arantxa Cossio (MEX)

RU: Axel Lovo/Monica Muñoz (MEX)

Full Results: Central America Regional Championships

SOUTH EAST ASIAN REGIONAL YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS, JAKARTA, INDONESIA

Thursday 17th - Tuesday 22nd April

Under 19 Boys’ Team

W: Singapore (Ellsworth Le, Izaac Quek, Loy Xing Yao, Nicholas Tan)

RU: Malaysia (Im Jin Zhen, Lam Ee Sim, Quek Seng Yap, Rui Zhe)

Under 19 Girls’ Team

W: Thailand (Khemisarar Derujijaroen, Wirakarn Tayapitak, Wiranchana Sreechak, Phatsaraphon Wonglakhon

RU: Malaysia (Lim Jing Shuen, Ai Lis Gan, Hun Hui Qi)

Full Results: South East Asian Regional Youth Championships

Worthy success, likewise, Egypt’s Mariam Alhodaby won women’s team and women’s singles gold at the North Africa Regional Championships in Tunis, Luxembourg’s Sarah de Nutte did the same at the Games of the Small States of Europe in Andorra.

Pursuing the trend, for the men, Madagascar’s Fabio Rakotoarimanana secured men’s team and men’s singles gold at the East African Regional Championships in Antananarivo, a success replicated by Cameroon’s Ylane Batix at the Central Africa Regional Championships in Brazzaville.

Good form maintained, in particular, good form was maintained by Frenchman Flavien Coton and by Anna Hursey of Wales. Success in April at World Table Tennis tournaments for Flavien Coton in Havirov and Anna Hursey in both Zrenjanin and Metz, the high level of play was repeated in May at the European Under 21 Championships in Bratislava, they won the respective men’s and women’s singles titles.

CENTRAL ASIAN REGIONAL YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS, ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN

Friday 18th - Sunday 20th April

Under 19 Boys’ Team

W: Iran (Benyamin Faraji, Mohammad Habibi, Seyedamirabbas Hodaei, Samran Karimi)

RU: Kazakhstan (Alan Kurmangaliyev, Abdulla Mamay, Shi Danyang)

Under 19 Girls’ Team

W: Iran (Setayesh Iloukhani, Yekta Larkian, Efat Ranjbar, Vania Yavari, Fatemeh Yazdanpanah)

RU: Uzbekistan (Mokhira Abdullaeva, Asel Erkebaeva, Arujan Kamalova, Adelina Khasanova)

Full Results: Central Asian Regional Youth Championships

EAST ASIAN REGIONAL YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS, PYONGYANG, DPR KOREA

Saturday 19th - Sunday 20th April

Under 19 Boys’ Team

W: DPR Korea (Jon Ju Phyong, Ri Kang Ung, So Ju Gang)

RU: Chinese Taipei (Chang Jui-Yang, Hsu Hsien-Chia, Liu Chien-Jui, Peng Jing-You) Under 19 Girls’ Team

W: Hong Kong (Mak Ming Shum, Su Tsz Tung, Wong Tsz Yui)

RU: DPR Korea (Jang So Hyang, Jo Hong Rim, Kye Yong Gyong)

Full Results: East Asian Regional Youth Championships

Three gold and one silver for Rogelio Castro at the Central American Championships

CARIBBEAN REGIONAL YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPSRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS

Sunday 20th - Saturday 26th April

Under 19 Boys’ Team

W: Puerto Rico (Chrisnomar Aviles, Yadier Lopez, Jerail Montijo, José Nieves)

RU: Dominican Republic (Rafael Cabrera, Eduardo Darley, Yoel Mendoza, Ramon Vila)

Under 19 Girls’ Team

W: Puerto Rico (Valentina Davila, Edmarie Leon, Alahia Medina, Kristal Melendez)

RU: Dominican Republic (Eduanni de la Cruz, Arianna Es trella, Yesmeily Guerrero, Dafne Sosa)

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Rafael Cabrera (DOM) RU: Ramon Vila (DOM)

Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Edmarie Leon (PUR) RU: Stuti Kashyap (ANT)

Under 19 Boys’ Doubles

W: Eduardo Darley/Yoel Mendoza (DOM)

RU: Rafael Cabrera/Ramon Vila (DOM)

Under 19 Girls’ Doubles

W: Edmarie Leon/Kristal Melendez (PUR)

RU: Valentina Davila/Alahia Medina (PUR)

Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Yadir Lopez/Edmarie Leon (PUR)

RU: Ramon Vila/Arianna Estrella (DOM)

Under 15 Boys’ Team

W: Puerto Rico (Esteban Ayala, Matthew Cao, Sergio Perez, Owen Shemesh)

RU: Jamaica (Logan Royes, Gmarco Smith, Ajani Spencer)

Under 15 Girls’ Team

W: Puerto Rico (Ariana Aponte, Naymaris Hernandez, Brianna Rodriguez)

RU: Trinidad & Tobago (Jannah Mohammad, Elizabeth Rajah, Jinai Samuel)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Matthew Cao (PUR) RU: Sergio Perez (PUR)

Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Naymaris Hernandez (PUR) RU: Aurora Bonome (PUR)

Under 15 Boys’ Doubles

W: Matthew Cao/Sergio Perez (PUR)

RU: Esteban Ayala/Owen Shemesh (PUR)

Under 15 Girls’ Doubles

W: Naymaris Hernandez/Brianna Rodriguez (PUR)

RU: Ariana Aponte/Aurora Bonome (PUR)

Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: Matthew Cao/Aurora Bonome (PUR)

RU: Owen Shemesh/Brianna Rodriguez (PUR)

Full Results: Caribbean Regional Youth Championships

WEST ASIAN REGIONAL YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS, DAMMAM, SAUDI ARABIA

Thursday 24th - Friday 25th April

Under 19 Boys’ Team

W: Saudi Arabia (Abdullah, Al-Henaki, Ali Altaher, Moaid Arif, Yousuf Hanifa)

RU: Qatar (Yousif Abdalla, Abdulaziz Al-Abdulla, Ahmed Korani

Under 19 Girls’ Team

W: Syrian Arab Republic (Ibaa Hallak, Hala Hamamah, Hend Zaza)

RU: Saudi Arabia (Zahra Al-Abbad, Hissah Al-Khaldi, Nihal Al-Qahtani)

Full Results: West Asian Regional Youth Championships

SOUTH ASIAN REGIONAL YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS, KATHMANDU, NEPAL

Thursday 24th - Sunday 27th April

Under 19 Boys’ Team

W: Nepal (Prabesh Basnet, Himal Bista, Gananjaya Dahal, Rubin Maharjan)

RU: Sri Lanka (Nethan Hamer, Danuk Lamasuriya, Akain Viyanduwa)

Under 19 Girls’ Team

W: India (Diya Bramhachary, Ananya Chande, Hardee Patel, Pritha Vartikar)

RU: Nepal (Diya Deula, Yonggi Poudel, Bianca Rai, Evana Thapa)

Full Results: South Asian Regional Youth Championships

WEST ASIA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, DAMMAM, SAUDI ARABIA

Sunday 27th April - Monday 28th April

Men’s Team

W: Bahrain (Salman Abuhamda, Husain Murtadha, Rashed Rashed, Mohamed Saleh)

RU: Saudi Arabia (Ali Alkhadrawi, Khalid Al-Shareif, Abdulaziz Bu Shulaybi)

Women’s Team

W: Syrian Arab Republic (Aya Ali, Ibaa Hallak, Hala Hamamah, Hend Zaza)

RU: Lebanon (Laetitia Azar, Mariam El-Habech, Mariana Sahakian)

Full Results: West Asia Regional Championships

NORTH AFRICA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, TUNIS, TUNISIA

Monday 28th - Wednesday 30th April

Men’s Team

W: Algeria (Maheldine Bella, Mehdi Bouloussa, Abdelbasset Chaichi, Milhane Jellouli, Sami Kherouf)

RU: Egypt (Youssef Abdelaziz, Aly Ghallab, Mahmoud Helmy, Badr Mostafa)

Women’s Team

W: Egypt (Mariam Alhodaby, Marwa Alhodaby, Hend Fathy, Yousra Helmy)

RU: Tunisia (Fadwa Garci, Ela Saidi, Abir Haj Salah, Maram Zoghlami)

Men’s Singles

W: Youssef Abdelaziz (EGY) RU: Mahmoud Helmy (EGY)

Women’s Singles

W: Mariam Alhodaby (EGY) RU: Marwa Alhodaby (EGY)

Full Results: North Africa Regional Championships

CENTRAL AMERICAN REGIONAL YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS, GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA

Thursday 1st - Tuesday 6th May

Under 19 Boys’ Team

W: Guatemala (Luis Carrillo, Marcos Chevez, Ricardo Gatica, Ian Morales)

RU: Mexico (Eli Burgos, Diego Coral, Ilan Lima, Emiliano Villagran)

Under 19 Girls’ Team

W: Costa Rica (Maria Araya, Victoria Castro, Mariangel Garro, Lucia Zavaleta)

RU: Mexico (Magdalena Briones, Ximena Figueroa, Roberta Hernandez, Barbara Serna)

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Ricardo Gatica (GUA) RU: Alejandro Montoya (CRC)

Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Magdalena Briones (MEX) RU: Maria Araya (CRC)

Under 19 Boys’ Doubles

W: Luis Carrillo/Ricardo Gatica (GUA)

RU: Marcos Chevez/Ian Morales (GUA)

Under 19 Girls’ Doubles

W: Jenny Cux/Andrea Moscoso (GUA)

RU: Ximena Figueroa/Barbara Serna (MEX)

Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Sebastian Aviles/Lucia Zavaleta (CRC)

RU: Luis Carrillo/Daniela Linares (GUA)

Under 15 Boys’ Team

W: Guatemala (Angelo Cux, José Mendez, Joseph Ruiz, Diego Suchite)

RU: Mexico (Eder Alvarez, Ricardo Nevarez, Sebastian Nuñez, Gael Pardo)

Under 15 Girls’ Team

W: Guatemala (Valeria Guevara, Camila Linares, Genesis Ruiz, Marta Salazar)

RU: Costa Rica (Valentina Garro, Amanda Jimenez, Noemi Matarrita)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Lucca Lobo (CRC) RU: Eder Alvarez (MEX)

Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Valentina Garro (CRC) RU: Marta Salazar (GUA)

Under 15 Boys’ Doubles

W: José Mendez/Joseph Ruiz (GUA)

RU: Angelo Cux/Diego Suchite (GUA)

Under 15 Girls’ Doubles

W: Valeria Guevara/Genesis Ruiz (GUA)

RU: Camila Linares/Marta Salazar (GUA)

Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: Diego Suchite/Genesis Ruiz (GUA)

RU: Tomas Sanchez/Valerie Godoy (HON)

Full Results: Central American Youth Championships

Gold for Hend Zaza in Damman

Two titles in Tunis for Mariam Alhodaby

EUROPEAN UNDER 21 CHAMPIONSHIPS, BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA

Wednesday 7th - Sunday 11th May

Men’s Singles

W: Flavien Coton (FRA) RU: Iulian Chirita (ROU)

Women’s Singles

W: Anna Hursey (WAL) RU: Veronika Matiunina (UKR)

Men’s Doubles

W: Eduard Ionescu/Darius Movileanu (ROU)

RU: Tiago Abiodun/Andre Bertelsmeier (POR/GER)

Women’s Doubles

W: Mia Griesel/Anna Hursey (GER/WAL)

RU: Bianca Mei Rosu/Elena Zaharia (ROU)

Mixed Doubles

W: Darius Movileanu/Elena Zaharia (ROU)

RU: Wim Verdonschot/Josephina Neumann (GER)

Full Results: European Under 21 Championships

SOUTH AMERICAN REGIONAL YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS, MONTERIA, COLOMBIA

Sunday 18th - Saturday 24th May

Under 19 Boys’ Team

W: Brazil (Felipe Doti, Felipe Faustino, Lucas Romanski, Hamilton Yamane)

RU: Peru (Carlos Blanco, Diego Takeda, Gonzalo Vera, Julio Villar)

Under 19 Girls’ Team

W: Brazil (Beatriz Fiore, Julia Hatakeyama, Abigail Menezes, Karina Shiray)

RU: Ecuador (Keimy Anchundia, Angelica Arellano, Arianny Cardenas, Maybelline Menendez)

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Emanuel Otalvaro (COL) RU: Sebastian Bedoya (COL)

Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Beatriz Fiore (BRA) RU: Mariana Rodriguez (COL)

Under 19 Boys’ Doubles

W: Felipe Doti/Lucas Romanski (BRA)

RU: Felipe Faustino/Hamilton Yamane (BRA)

Under 19 Girls’ Doubles

W: Julia Hatakeyama/Karina Shiray (BRA)

RU: Beatriz Flore/Abigail Menezes (BRA)

Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Carlos Rios/Nathacha Mata Aponte (VEN)

RU: Felipe Doti/Karina Shiray (BRA)

Under 15 Boys’ Team

W: Brazil (Flavio De Sousa, Leandro Ferreira, Vinicius Rech, Vitor Thiofilo)

RU: Peru (Carlos Achata, Esteban Camacho, Diego Diaz, Samuel Duffoo)

Under 15 Girls’ Team

W: Ecuador (Emily Macay, Karolayn Maldonado, Zarahys Rivadeneira, Domenica Tituana)

RU: Colombia (Gabriela Campo, Maria Fuentes, Luciana Restrepo, Mariana Sanchez)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Flavio De Sousa (BRA) RU: Samuel Duffoo (PER)

Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Bianca Borges (BRA) RU: Gabriela Campo (COL)

Under 15 Boys’ Doubles

W: Leandro Ferreira/Vinicius Rech (BRA)

RU: Matteo Carranza/Tobias Martinez (ARG)

Under 15 Girls’ Doubles

W: Ignacia Jimenez/Catalina Ramirez (CHI)

RU: Maria Luna/Alicia Zamora (PER)

Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: Vitor Thiofilo/Maiara Agnone (BRA)

RU: Flavio de Sousa/Emanuelly Santos (BRA)

Full Results: South American Youth Championships

GAMES OF THE SMALL STATES OF EUROPE, ANDORRA

Monday 26th - Friday 30th May

Men’s Team

W: Malta (Dmitrij Prokopcov, Felix Wetzel)

RU: Luxembourg (Luka Mladenovic, Tom Scholtes, Maël van Diesel)

Women’s Team

W: Luxembourg (Sarah de Nutte, Enisa Sadikovic)

RU: Malta (Maria-Carmelia Iacob, Renata Strbikova)

Men’s Singles

W: Luka Mladenovic (LUX) RU: Felix Wetzel (MLT)

Women’s Singles

W: Sara de Nutte (LUX) RU: Maria-Carmelia Iacob)

Men’s Doubles

W: Tom Scholtes/Maël van Diesel (LUX)

RU: Elia Sharpel/Marios Yiangou (CYP)

Women’s Doubles

W: Maria-Carmelia Iacob/Renata Strbikova (MLT)

RU: Georgia Avraam/Konstantina Meletie (CYP)

Full Results: Games of the Small States of Europe

EAST AFRICAN REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, ANTANANARIVO, MADAGASCAR

Saturday 31st May - Tuesday 3rd June

Men’s Team

W: Madagascar (Amboarasoa Rafafindrakoto, Fabio Rakotoarimanana, Mamy Rakotoarisoa, Setra Rakotoarisoa, Antoine Razafinarivo)

RU: Ethiopia (Eyob Dufera, Darara Dufera, Amanuel Hadsh, Melaku Mindahun)

Women’s Team

W: Uganda (Patience Anyango, Jemimah Nakawala, Judith Nangonzi)

RU: Madagascar (Mahenika Andriamanantena, Edena Prevot, Harilalao Raharimana, Hanrita Raharimana, Ranto Rakotondrazaka)

Men’s Singles

W: Fabio Rakotoarimanana (MAD) RU: Antoine Razafinarivo

Women’s Singles

W: Nandeshwaree Nangonzi (MRI) RU: Judith Nangonzi (UGA)

ITTF OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS, CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND

Saturday 7th - Wednesday 11th June

Men’s Team

W: Australia (Hwan Bae, Nicholas Lum, Finn Luu, Aditya Sareen)

RU: New Zealand (Griffin Buchanan, Tomothy Choi, Jet Lin, Dean Shu)

Women’s Team

W: Australia (Minhyung Jee, Yangzi Liu, Constantina Psihogios, Jiamuwa Wu)

RU: New Zealand (Josephine Chong, Jocelyn Lam. Yelena Yi)

Men’s Singles

W: Nicholas Lum (AUS) RU: Aditya Sareen (AUS)

Women’s Singles

W: Yangzi Liu RU: Minhyung Jee (AUS)

Men’s Doubles

W: Nicholas Lum/Finn Luu (AUS)

RU: Bae Hwan/Aditya Sareen (AUS)

Women’s Doubles

W: Minhyung Jee/Yangzi Liu (AUS)

RU: Constantina Psihogios/Jiamuwa Wu (AUS)

Mixed Doubles

W: Nicholas Lum/Yangzi Liu (AUS)

RU: Aditya Sareen/Constantina Psihogios (AUS)

Full Results: ITTF Oceania Championships

ITTF OCEANIA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND

Monday 9th - Tuesday 10th June

Men’s Singles

W: Jérémy Dey (NCL) RU: Jérôme Morisseau (NCL)

Women’s Singles

W: Maylis Giret (NCL) RU: Kahealani Mousson (PYF)

Full Results: ITTF Oceania Regional Championships

ITTF OCEANIA YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS, CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND Thursday 12th - Monday 16th June

Under 19 Boys’ Team

W: Australia (Won Bae, Clarence Cheng, Chulong Nie, Aditya Sareen)

RU: New Zealand (Timothy Choi, Payas Jajal, Oscar Jiang, Jet Lin)

A clean sweep for Constantina Psihogios at the ITTF Oceania Youth Championships

Under 19 Girls’ Team

W: Australia (Chloe Cheng, Hannah Goh, Nguyen Le, Constantina Psihogios)

RU: New Zealand (Tracey Hsia, Anshuon Han, Jocelyn Lam)

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Aditya Sareen (AUS) RU: Timothy Choi (NZL)

Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Constantina Psihogios (AUS) RU: Nguyen Le (AUS)

Under 19 Boys’ Doubles

W: Clarence Cheng/Chulong Nie (AUS)

RU: Won Bae/Aditya Sareen (AUS)

Under 19 Girls’ Doubles

W: Nguyen Le/Constantina Psihogios (AUS)

RU: Chloe Cheng/Hanna Goh (AUS)

Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Aditya Sareen/Constantina Psihogios (AUS)

RU: Won Bae/Nguyen Le (AUS)

Under 15 Boys’ Team

W: New Zealand (Oscar Du, Eli Ho, August Xiao)

RU: Australia (Lawrence Fan, Jacob Huang, Andrew Li, Aaron Nguyen)

Under 15 Girls’ Team

W: Australia (Kavyaa Madaan, Qinie Xia, Daisy Xie, Coral Zhao)

RU: New Zealand (Anya Chen, Josephine Chong, Ayumi Moriyama)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: August Xiao (NZL) RU: Eli Ho (NZL)

Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Daisy Xie (AUS) RU: Anzhuo Han (NZL)

Under 15 Boys’ Doubles

W: Eli Ho/August Xiao (NZL)

RU: Jacob Huang / Aaron Nguyen (AUS)

Under 15 Girls’ Doubles

W: Kavyaa Madaan/Carol Zhao (AUS)

RU: Qinle Xia/Daisy Xie (AUS)

Under 15 Mixed Doubles

W: August Xiao / Anya Chen (NZL)

RU: Jacob Huang / Daisy Xie (AUS)

Full Results: ITTF Oceania Youth Championships

ITTF OCEANIA YOUTH REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND

Sunday 15th June

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Ariinui Pambrun (PYF) RU: Leo Sayegh (PYF)

Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Kelley Tehahetua (PYF) RU: Keala Tehahetua (PYF)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Leo Sayegh (PYF) RU: Tepouatini Bu Luc (PYF)

Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Anais Outzekhovsky (PYF) RU: Clara Sayegh (PYF)

Full Results: ITTF Oceania Youth Regional Championships

CARIBBEAN REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS

Tuesday 17th - Sunday 22nd June

Men’s Team

W: Puerto Rico (Brian Afanador, Oscar Birriel, Steven Moreno, Angel Naranjo)

RU: Cuba (Diomar Arguelle, Jorge Campos, Livan Martinez, Adrian Perez)

Women’s Team

W: Puerto Rico (Brianna Burgos, Fabiola Diaz, Kristal Melendez, Alondra Rodriguez)

RU: Cuba (Rosalba Aguiar, Estela Crespo, Daniela Fonseca, Karla Perez Gonzalez)

Men’s Singles

W: Angel Naranjo (PUR) RU: Tyrese Knight (BAR)

Women’s Singles

W: Brianna Burgos (PUR) RU: Alondra Rodriguez (PUR)

Men’s Doubles

W: Oscar Birriel/Angel Naranjo (PUR)

RU: Brian Afanador/Steven Moreno (PUR)

Women’s Doubles

W: Briana Burgos/Alondra Rodriguez (PUR)

RU: Estela Crespo/Daniela Fonseca (CUB)

Mixed Doubles

W: Jorge Campos/Daniela Fonseca (CUB)

RU: Adrian Perez/Estela Crespo (CUB)

Full Results: Caribbean Regional Championships

SOUTH AMERICAN REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, LIMA, PERU

Monday 23rd - Sunday 29th June

Men’s Team

W: Chile (Gustavo Gomez, Alfonso Olave, Felipe Olivares, Eusebio Vos)

RU: Venezuela (Cesar Castillo, Raymundo Medina, Carlos Rios, Jesus Tovar)

Women’s Team

W: Chile (Valentina Rios, Daniela Ortega, Paulina Vega, Zeng Zhiying)

RU: Brazil (Karina Shiray, Victoria Strassburger, Giulia Takahashi, Laura Watanabe)

Men’s Singles

W: Guilherme Teodoro (BRA) RU: Gustavo Gomez (CHI)

Women’s Singles

W: Daniela Ortega (CHI) RU: Nathaly Paredes (ECU)

Men’s Doubles

W: Cesar Castillo/Raymundo Medina (VEN)

RU: Martin Bentancor/Francisco Sanchi (ARG)

Women’s Doubles

W: Daniela Ortega/Paulina Vega (CHI)

RU: Roxy Gonzalez/Camila Obando (VEN)

Mixed Doubles

W: Gustavo Gomez/Daniela Ortega (CHI)

RU: Guilherme Teodoro/Giulia Takahashi (BRA)

Full Results: South American Regional Championships

CENTRAL AFRICA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, BRAZZAVILLE, REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Friday 27th - Sunday 29th June

Men’s Team

W: Cameroon (Ylane Batix, Igor Boulmo, Simon Ebode, Abdoulaye Mohamed)

RU: Republic of Congo (Saheed Idowu, Chelvy Pena, Suraju Saka, Cheldon Sindani, Brijak Tando)

Women’s Team

W: Democratic Republic of Congo (Muteba Dialumona, Kabedi Ilunga, Julie Kayembe, Nzangaqni Kindandi, Ammadine Litobka)

RU: Cameroon (Marianne Dike, Lorenza Koulaoinhi, Enjema Moussa)

Men’s Singles

W: Ylane Batix (CMR) RU: Saheed Idowu (CGO)

Women’s Singles

W: Ammadine Litobaka (COD) RU: Lorenza Koulaouinhi (CMR)

Full Results: Central Africa Regional Championships

ASIAN YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS, TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN

Thursday 26th June - Wednesday 2nd July

Under 19 Boys’ Team

W: China (Fei Junhang, Li Hechen, Sun Yang, Wen Ruibo)

RU: Korea Republic (Choi Jiwook, Kim Gaon, Kwon Hyuk, Lee Jungmok)

Under 19 Girls’ Team

W: China (Qin Yuxuan, Yan Yutong, Yao Ruixuan, Zong Geman)

RU: Japan (Sachi Aoki, Rin Mende, Yuna Ojio, Mao Takamori)

Under 19 Boys’ Singles

W: Wen Ruibo (CHN) RU: Chang Yu-An (TPE)

Under 19 Girls’ Singles

W: Sachi Aoki (JPN) RU: Yuna Ojio (JPN)

Under 19 Boys’ Doubles

W: Li Hechen/Wen Ruibo (CHN)

RU: Chang Yu-An/Hung Jing-K

Under 19 Girls’ Doubles

W: Sachi Aoki/Mao Takamori (JPN)

RU: Rin Mende/Yuna Ojio (JPN)

Under 19 Mixed Doubles

W: Kim Gaon/Park Gahyeon (KOR)

RU: Choi Jiwook/Yoo Yerin (KOR)

Under 15 Boys’ Team

W: China (Chen Yizhou, Wang Zining, Yu Haiyang, Zhou Guanhong)

RU: India (Aditya Das, Ritvik Gupta, Sahil Rawat, Shouren Soman)

Under 15 Girls’ Team

W: Korea Republic (Heo Yerim, Kin Minseo, Lee Haelin, Seo Ayeong)

RU: Japan (Kokomi Ishida, Cocona Muramatsu, Aoba Takahashi, Hisa Uriu)

Under 15 Boys’ Singles

W: Zhou Guanhong (CHN) Yu Haiyang (CHN)

Under 15 Girls’ Singles

W: Divyanshi Bhowmick (IND) RU: Zhu Qihui (CHN)

Full Results: Asian Youth Championships

Three titles for Wen Ruibo in Tashkent

Para Table Tennis

All roads lead to Lasko

Year after year for Para players a popular destination, the Slovenian town of Lasko was very much the focal point in May, two consecutive tournaments, each lasting five days, a Challenger event, the second level, Future being the base, was followed by an Elite gathering, the highest standard.

Making full use of the opportunity provided, in the men’s singles Frenchman, Fabien Lamirault won class 2 in both tournaments, a feat that was matched by Jensen Van Emburgh of the United States in class 3, as well as by the British duo of Will Bayley in class 7 and Aaron McKibbin in class 8.

Success for Jensen Van Emburgh meant that he collected four titles in a three-week period;

earlier in late April, in the same category he had won in Săo Paulo, later adding mixed doubles class 4-8 gold with compatriot Zachary Pickett. Likewise, there was more gold for Will Bayley, at the Challenger in Lasko, he partnered Brighton club colleague, Bly Twomey to mixed doubles class 14 gold.

Title collectors, there was none better than Croatia’s Andela Muzinic-Vincetic. She won women’s singles class 3 in both Lasko tournaments, as well as in the Challenger joining forces with compatriot Helena Dretar-Karic to secure the women’s doubles class 5 top prize.

Three gold medals, less than one week prior to the start of play in Slovenia, it had been the same number in Podgorica, a clean sweep of possible options. She won women’s singles class

Jensen Van Emburgh emerged successful in both Săo Paulo and Lasko

1-3 prior to partnering Helena Dretar-Karic to women’s doubles class 10 success and Tomislav Spalj, also from Croatia, to victory in mixed doubles class 4-7.

Impressive from Andela Muzinic-Vincetic, in the women’s singles in Lasko, it was the same from Germany’s Sandra Mikolaschek. She won class 4-5 gold in both events, a feat emulated in class 11 by Japan’s Miya Yamaguchi.

The double achieved, there were those who came so close to accomplishing the feat, gold at the Challenger tournament, silver at the Elite. In the men’s singles such was the outcome for Korea Republic’s Jeong Sanggu in class 1, Great Britain’s Joshua Stacey in class 9 and Montenegro’s Filip Radovic in class 10.

Notably, Filip Radovic, had more reasons to celebrate, in the Elite tournament he partnered Croatia’s Borna Zohil to men’s doubles class 18 gold, prior to claiming mixed doubles class 14 silver alongside Hungary’s Alexa Szvitacs. The efforts in Lasko proved a mark of consistency, earlier on home soil in Podgorica, he had won men’s singles class 10. Similarly, in the women’s singles, for Brazil’s Bruna Alexandre, who had won class 8-10 in Săo Paulo, in Lasko it was Challenger gold, Elite silver.

Familiar names on duty, none more so than Paris 2024 Paralympic Games gold medallists. Additional to Andela Muzinic-Vincetic, Sandra Mikolaschek, and Poland’s Patryk Chojnowski, who overcame Filip Radovic in the Lasko Elite men’s singles final, Iraq’s Najlah Al-Dayyeni, Kelly van Zon of the Netherlands and Poland’s Karolina Pek added to their title collections.

Najlah Al-Dayyeni won women’s singles class 6 in Podgorica and at the Lasko Elite, a feat emu lated in class 7 by Kelly van Zon and in class 9 by Karolina Pek. Also, in Podgorica Karo lina Pek prevailed in women’s doubles class 14-20 alongside Alexa Szvitacs and in mixed dou bles class 17-20 in harness with compatriot Piotr Grudzien. Later in June, the 27-year-old Pole won in Ostrava, once again in the same class, and as in Podgo rica, experiencing mixed doubles success with Piotr Grudzien.

Meanwhile, for Italy’s Giada Rossi, Poland’s Rafal Czuper, Korea Repub lic’s Kim Younggun, Norway’s Tommy Urhaug and Italy’s Matteo Parenzan, all gold medallists in Paris, it was a differ ent outcome.

At the Lasko Elite it was three silver medals for Giada Rossi, in addition to women’s singles class 2, partnering colleagues, it was second place in women’s doubles class 5 with Carlotta Ragazzini, the same in mixed doubles class 4 in partnership with Frederico Crossara. Likewise, it was the same runners up outcome in Podgorica for Rafal Czuper in men’s singles class 1-2, as it was at the Lasko Elite for Matteo Parenzan in men’s singles class 6.

Rather more surprising at the Lasko Elite, in men’s singles 4-5, there were quarterfinal defeats for Kim Younggun and Tommy Urhaug. However, there was consolation for Kim Younggun, he won men’s doubles class 8 partnering colleague Kim Junggil, mixed dou bles class 10 with Serbia’s Zorica Popadic.

Defeats for those who have won at the highest level, personal disappointments but good news for the sport, close competition, unpredictable outcomes, all adds interest, a healthy

ABOVE Andela MuzinicVincetic just kept winning; gold in Podgorica was followed by the same outcome in Lasko LEFT Miya Yamaguchi completed the double in Lasko, she women’s singles class 11 at both the Challenger and Elite tournaments

ITTF WORLD PARA FUTURE, LAHTI, FINLAND

Sunday 6th - Thursday 10th April

Under 23 Men’s Singles Class 6-7

W: Filip Prehuk (CZE) RU: Samuel Altshuler (USA)

Under 23 Men’s Singles Class 8

W: Hamza Taleb (BEL) RU: Yehonatan Levi (ISR)

Under 23 Men’s Singles Class 9-10

W: Martin Lopez (ESP) RU: Jan Muska (CZE)

Under 23 Men’s Singles Class 11

W: Yuen King Shing (HKG) RU: Chan Tsz Chung (HKG)

Under 23 Women’s Singles Class 6-10

W: Tereza Cakorova (CZE) RU: Smilla Sand (SWE)

Men’s Singles Class 1-2

W: Daniel Pauger (AUT) RU: Alan Papirer (FRA)

Men’s Singles Class 3

W: Florian Merrien (FRA) RU: Marc Graf (AUT)

Men’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Emeric Martin (FRA) RU: David Olsson (SWE)

Men’s Singles Class 6

W: Michael Azulay (SWE) RU: Daniel Thompson (GBR)

Men’s Singles Class 7

W: Sam Gustafsson (SWE) RU: Jonas Hansson (SWE)

Men’s Singles Class 8

W: Emil Andersson (SWE) RU: Thomas Bouvais (FRA)

Men’s Singles Class 9

W: Tahl Leibovitz (USA) RU: Yuriy Shchepanskyy (UKR)

Men’s Singles Class 10

W: Mateo Boheas (FRA) RU: Marion Lopez (ESP)

Men’s Singles Class 11

W: Wan Wai Lok (HKG) RU: Chan Tsz Chung (HKG)

Women’s Singles Class 1-5

W: Kyra Liepach (GER) RU: Martina Sande (ESP)

Women’s Singles Class 6

W: Cajsa Stadler (SWE) RU: Antonina Khodzynskaya (UKR)

Women’s Singles Class 7-8

W: Lucie Hautier (FRA) RU: Olaia Martinez (ESP)

Women’s Singles Class 9-10

W: Teresa Cakorova (CZE) RU: Anja Handen (SWE)

Women’s Singles Class 11

W: Wong Ting Ting (HKG) RU: Wong Pui Kei (HKG)

Men’s Doubles Class 4-8

W: Emeric Martin/Florian Merrien (FRA)

RU: David Olsson/Romain Simon (SWE/GBR)

Men’s Doubles Class 14

W: Sam Gustafsson/Jonas Hansen (SWE)

RU: Emil Andersson/Michael Azulay (SWE)

Men’s Doubles Class 18

W: Mateo Boheas/Thomas Bouvais (FRA)

RU: Tahl Leibovitz/Hamza Taleb (USA/ISR)

Women’s Doubles Class 14-20

W: Tereza Cakorova/Nela Kemlinkova (CZE)

RU: Camelia Ciripan/Gabriela Constantin (ROU)

Mixed Doubles Class 4-10

W: Emeric Martin/Cristina Rubio (FRA/ESP)

RU: Florian Merrien/Aino Tapola (FRA/FIN)

Mixed Doubles Class 14

W: Gonzalo Rodriguez/Pilar Gonzales (ESP)

RU: Jonas Hansson/Smilla Sand (SWE)

Mixed Doubles Class 17-20

W: Sam Gustafsson/Anja Handen (SWE)

RU: Jan Muska/Teresa Cordova (CZE)

Mixed Doubles Class 22

W: Yuen King Shing/Wong Ting Ting (HKG)

RU: Wan Wai Lok/Wong Pui Kei (HKG)

Full Results: ITTF World Para Future Lahti

ITTF WORLD PARA FUTURE AMMAN, JORDAN

Sunday 13th - Tuesday 15th April

Men’s Singles Class 1-2

W: Ali Al-Saedi (IRQ) RU: Mohamed Abdelmalek (EGY)

Men’s Singles Class 3

W: Osama Abu Jame (JOR) RU: Islam Al-Yamani (JOR)

Men’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Bolawa Akingbemisilu (NGR) RU: Isau Okunkunle (NGR)

Men’s Singles Class 6-7

W: Sayed Youssef (EGY) RU: Mahmoud Havek (JOR)

Men’s Singles Class 8

W: Matvei Begoulev (AIN) RU: Mohit Singh (GER)

Men’s Singles Class 9

W: Iuri Nozdrunov (AIN) RU: Abiola Adescope (NGR)

Men’s Singles Class 10

W: Alabi Olufemi (NGR) RU: Abdulrahman Shafeeq (IRQ)

Women’s Singles Class 3

W: Hadeel Al-Waeli (IRQ) RU: Vidya Kumari (IND)

Women’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Rusul Al-Waeli (IRQ) RU: Khetam Abuawad (JOR)

Women’s Singles Class 6-7

W: Zahra Namazi (IRI) RU: Zainab Fartoozi (IRQ)

Women’s Singles Class 9-10

W: Faith Obazuaye (NGR) RU: Kehinde Lawal (NGR)

Men’s Doubles Class 8

W: Adyos Astan/Muntadher Al-Saraj (INA/IRQ)

RU: Bolawa Akingbemisili/Awad Al-Harbi (NGR/KUW)

Men’s Doubles Class 14-18

W: Abiola Adescope/Tajudeen Agunbide (NGR)

RU: Alami Olufemi/Sayed Youssef (NGR/EGY)

Women’s Doubles Class 10

W: Khetam Abuawad/Faten Elelimat (JOR)

RU: Ahad Al-Resheedi/Kate Oputa (KUW/NGR)

Mixed Doubles Class 7

W: Osama Abu Jame/Faten Elelimat (JOR)

RU: Ali Al-Saedi/Hadeel Al-Waeli (IRQ)

Mixed Doubles Class 10

W: Muntadher Al-Sarraji/Rusul Al-Waeli (IRQ)

RU: Bolawa Akingbemisili/Kate Oputa (NGR)

Mixed Doubles Class 17-20

W: Alabi Olufemi/Faith Obazuaye (NGR)

RU: Abiola Adescope/Kehinde Lawal (NGR)

Full Results: ITTF World Future Para Amman

ITTF WORLD PARA CHALLENGER, SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL

Thursday 24th - Sunday 27th April

Men’s Singles Class 1-2

W: Luis Flores (CHI) RU: Guilherme Marcio da Costa (BRA)

Men’s Singles Class 3

W: Jenson Van Emburgh (USA) RU: Welder Knaf (BRA)

Men’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Carlos Moraes (BRA) RU: Maycon Oliveira (BRA)

Men’s Singles Class 6

W: Ignacio Torres (CHI) RU: Matias Pino (CHI)

Men’s Singles Class 7-8

W: Paulo Salmin (BRA) RU: Jean Carlos Mashki (BRA)

Men’s Singles Class 9

W: Ander Cepas (ESP) RU: Lucas Carvalho (BRA)

Men’s Singles Class 10

W: Gabriel Antunes (BRA) RU: Claudio Massad (BRA)

Women’s Singles Class 1-5

W: Joyce Oliveira (BRA) RU: Alexandra Saint-Pierre (FRA)

Women’s Singles Class 6-7

W: Isabelle Muñoz (ARG) RU: Aline Ferreira (BRA)

Women’s Singles Class 8-10

W: Bruna Alexandre (BRA) RU: Jennyfer Parinos (BRA)

Men’s Doubles Class 4-8

W: Zachary Picket/Jenson Van Emburgh (USA)

RU: Carlos Moraes/Fabio Silva (BRA)

Men’s Doubles Class 14

W: Paulo Fonseca/Paulo Salmin (BRA)

RU: Matias Pino/Ignacio Torres (CHI)

Men’s Doubles Class 18

W: Jean Carlos de Souza/Gabriel Antunes (BRA)

RU: Luiz Guarnieri/Claudio Massad (BRA)

Women’s Doubles Class 5-10

W: Catia Oliveira RU: Joyce Oliveira (BRA)

RU: Marliane Amaral/Thais Severo (BRA)

Mixed Doubles Class 4-7

W: Fabio Silva/Thais Severo (BRA)

RU: Guilherme Marcio da Costa/Catia Oliveira (BRA)

Mixed Doubles Class 10

W: Carlos Moraes/Joyce Oliveira (BRA)

RU: Maycon Oliveira/Marlian Amaral (BRA)

Mixed Doubles Class 14-17

W: Paulo Fonseca/Bruna Alexandre (BRA)

RU: Luiz Guarnieri/Danielle Rauen (BRA)

Mixed Doubles Class 20

W: Gabriel Antunes/Jennyfer Parinos (BRA)

RU: Claudio Massad/Jaqueline Ishida (BRA)

Full Results: ITTF World Para Challenger, São Paulo

ITTF WORLD PARA CHALLENGER PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO

Wednesday 30th April - Sunday 1st May

Men’s Singles Class 1-2

W: Peter Lovas (SVK) RU: Rafal Czuper (POL)

Men’s Singles Class 3

W: Thomas Schmidberger (GER) RU: Florian Merrien (FRA)

Men’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Valentin Baus (GER) RU: Boris Travnicek (SVK)

Men’s Singles Class 6

W: Paul Karabardak (GBR) RU: Bobi Simion (ROU)

Men’s Singles Class 7

W: Maksim Nazarkin (AIN) RU: Katsuyoshi Yagi (JPN)

Men’s Singles Class 8

W: Borba Zohil (CRO) RU: Thomas Bouvais (FRA)

Men’s Singles Class 9-10

W: Filip Radovic (MNE) RU: Pawel Wlodyka (POL)

Women’ Singles Class 1-3

W: Andela Muzinic-Vincetic (CRO) RU: Helen Dretar-Karic (CRO)

Women’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Lisa di Torro (AUS) RU: Cristina Rubio (ESP)

Women’ Singles Class 6

W: Najlah Al-Dayyeni (IRQ) RU: Felicity Pickard (GBR)

Women’s Singles Class 7

W: Kelly van Zon (NED) RU: Galina Gorokhovatcenko (AIN)

A clean sweep of all three available titles

LEFT

Sam Gustafsson in Lahti CENTRE

Joyce Oliveira in Săo Paulo

RIGHT

Karolina Pek in Podgorica

Women’s Singles Class 8

W: Juliane Wolf (GER) RU: Elena Elli

Women’s Singles Class 9

W: Karolina Pek (POL) RU: Mirjana Lucic (CRO)

Women’s Singles Class 10

W: Anniek van Holt (NED) RU: Marlene Reeg (GER)

Men’s Doubles Class 4

W: Peter Lovas/Jan Riapos (SVK)

RU: Rafal Czuper/Tomasz Jakimczuk (POL)

Men’s Doubles Class 8

W: Maciej Nalepka/Krszystof (POL)

RU: Yorik Adjdal/Florian Merrien (FRA)

Men’s Doubles Class 14

W: Danil Domanevskii/Maksim Nazarkin (AIN)

RU: Piotr Manturz/Marcin Zielinski (POL)

Men’s Doubles Class 18

W: Maksym Chudzicki/Igor Misztal (POL)

RU: Mahiro Funayama/Katsuyoshi Yagi (JPN)

Women’s Doubles Class 10

W: Helen Dretar-Karic/Andela Muzinic-Vincetic (CRO)

RU: Edith Sigala Lopez/Martha Verdin (MEX)

Women’s Doubles Class 14-20

W: Karolina Pek/Alexa Szvitacs (POL/HUN)

RU: Nina Rek/Marlene Reeg (GER)

Mixed Doubles Class 4-7

W: Tomislav Spalj/Andela Muzinic-Vincetic (CRO)

RU: Victor Reyes/Edith Sigala Lopez (MEX)

Mixed Doubles Class 10

W: Nicolas Savant-Aira/Helena Dretar-Karic (FRA/CRO)

RU: Bojan Stamenkovic/Cristina Rubio (SRB/ESP)

Mixed Doubles Class 14

W: Danil Domanevskii/Galina Gorokhovatcenko (AIN)

RU: Maksym Chudzicki/Katarzyna Marszal (POL)

Mixed Doubles Class 17-20

W: Piotr Grudzien/Karolina Pek (POL)

RU: Mio Wagner/Marlene Reeg (GER)

Full Results: ITTF World Para Challenger Podgorica

ITTF WORLD PARA CHALLENGER LASKO, SLOVENIA

Tuesday 6th - Saturday 10th May

Men’s Singles Class 1

W: Jeong Sanggu (KOR) RU: Rob Davies (GBR)

Men’s Singles Class 2

W: Fabien Lamirault (FRA) RU: Jan Riapos (SVK)

Men’s Singles Class 3

W: Jenson Van Emburgh (USA) RU: Vasyl Petruniv (UKR)

Men’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Jack Hunter-Spivey (GBR) RU: Abdullah Ozturk (TUR)

Men’s Singles Class 6

W: Martin Perry (GBR) RU: Bobi Simion (ROU)

Men’s Singles Class 7

W: Will Bayley (GBR) RU: Jonas Hansson (SWE)

Men’s Singles Class 8

W: Aaron McKibbin (GBR) RU: Maksym Nikolenko (UKR)

Men’s Singles Class 9

W: Joshua Stacey (GBR) RU: Ivan Mai (UKR)

Men’s Singles Class 10

W: Filip Radovic (MNE) RU: Manuel Echaveguren (CHI)

Men’s Singles Class 11

W: Samuel Von Einem (AUS) RU: Hajime Hara (JPN)

Women’s Singles Class 1-2

W: Jana Spegel (GER) RU: Nadejda Pushpasheva (AIN)

Women’s Singles Class 3

W: Andela Muzinic-Vincetic (CRO) RU: Joyce Oliveira (BRA)

Women’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Sandra Mikolaschek (GER) RU: Bhavina Patel (IND)

Women’s Singles Class 6-7

W: Bly Twomey (GBR) RU: Kubra Korkut (TUR)

Women’s Singles Class 8

W: Thu Kamkasomphou (FRA) RU: Olaia Martinez (ESP)

Women’s Singles Class 9

W: Mirjana Lucic (CRO) RU: Alexa Szvitacs (HUN)

Women’s Singles Class 10

W: Bruna Alexandre (BRA) RU: Merve Demir (TUR)

Women’s Singles Class 11

W: Miya Yamaguchi (JPN) RU: Kanami Furukawa (JPN)

Men’s Doubles Class 4

W: Peter Lovas/Jan Riapos (SVK)

RU: Fabien Lamirault/Julien Michaud (FRA)

Men’s Doubles Class 8

W: Mladen Ciric/Mitar Palikuca (SRB)

RU: Yorick Adjal/Florian Merrien (FRA)

Men’s Doubles Class 14

W: Clément Berthier/Esteban Herrault (FRA)

RU: Will Bayley/Theo Bishop (GBR)

Men’s Doubles Class 18

W: Ander Cepas/Juan Bautista Perez (ESP)

RU: Lev Kats/Maksym Nikolenko (UKR)

Men’s Doubles Class 22

W: Eduardo Cuesta/Valerii Vlasenko (ESP/UKR)

RU: Lucas Creange/Timothe Ivaldi (FRA)

Women’s Doubles Class 5

W: Catia Oliveira/Joyce Oliveira (BRA)

RU: Andreja Dolinar/Aino Tapola (SLO/FIN)

Women’s Doubles Class 10

W: Helena Dretar-Karic/Andela Muzinic-Vencetic (CRO)

RU: Li Migyu/Flora Vautier (KOR/FRA)

Women’s Doubles Class 14-20

W: Thea Nielsen/Grace Williams (DEN/GBR)

RU: Anja Handen/Smilla Sand (SWE)

Mixed Doubles Class 4

W: Guilherme Marcio da Costa/Catia Oliveira (BRA)

RU: Fabien Lamirault/Maeva Olivier (FRA)

Mixed Doubles Class 7

W: Abdullah Ozturk/Nergiz Altintas (TUR)

RU: Thomas Bruechle/Sandra Mikolaschek (GER)

Mixed Doubles Class 14

W: Will Bayley/Bly Twomey (GBR)

RU: Henrik Brammer/Smilla Sand (DEN/SWE)

Mixed Doubles Class 17-20

W: Maksym Nikolenko/Alexa Szvitacs (UKR/HUN)

RU: Paulo Fonseca/Bruna Alexandre (BRA)

Mixed Doubles Class 22

W: Valerii Vlasenko/Natalia Kosmina (UKR)

RU: Eduardo Cuesta/Lea Ferney (FRA)

Full Results: ITTF World Para Challenger Lasko

ITTF WORLD PARA ELITE LASKO, SLOVENIA

Monday 12th - Friday 16th May

Men’s Singles Class 1

W: Kim Hyeonuk (KOR) RU: Jeong Sanggu (KOR)

Men’s Singles Class 2

W: Fabien Lamirault (FRA) RU: Daniel Rodriguez (ESP)

Men’s Singles Class 3

W: Jenson Van Emburgh (USA) RU: Thomas Schmidberger (GER)

Men’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Mitar Palikuca (SRB) RU: Abdullah Ozturk (TUR)

Men’s Singles Class 6

W: Peter Rosenmeier (DEN) RU: Mateo Parenzan (ITA)

Men’s Singles Class 7

W: Will Bayley (GBR) RU: Katsuyoshi Yagi (JPN)

Men’s Singles Class 8

W: Aaron McKibbin (GBR) RU: Maksym Nikolenko (UKR)

Men’s Singles Class 9

W: Ander Cepas (ESP) RU: Joshua Stacey (GBR)

Men’s Singles Class 10

W: Patryk Chojnowski (POL) RU: Filip Radovic (MNE)

Men’s Singles Class 11

W: Chen Po-Yen (TPE) RU: Lucas Creange (FRA)

Women’s Singles Class 1

W: Aino Tapola (FIN) RU: Dorota Buclaw (POL)

Women’s Singles Class 2

W: Catia Oliveira (BRA) RU: Giada Rossi (ITA)

Women’s Singles Class 3

W: Andela Muzinic Vincetic (CRO) RU: Carlotta Ragazzini (ITA)

Women’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Sandra Mikolaschek (GER) RU: Flora Vautier (FRA)

Women’s Singles Class 6

W: Najlah Al-Dayyeni (IRQ) RU: Felicity Pickard (GBR)

Women’s Singles Class 7

W: Kelly van Zon (NED) RU: Chiu Kan Shan (HKG)

Women’s Singles Class 8

W: Yuri Tomono (JPN) RU: Sophia Kelmer (BRA)

Women’s Singles Class 9

W: Karolina Pek (POL) RU: Alexa Szvitacs (HUN)

Women’s Singles Class 10

W: Natalia Partyka (POL) RU: Bruna Alexandre (BRA)

Women’s Singles Class 11

W: Miya Yamaguchi (JPN) RU: Ebru Acer (TUR)

Men’s Doubles Class 4

W: Peter Lovas/Jan Riapos (SVK)

RU: Daniel Rodriguez/Iker Sastre (ESP)

Men’s Doubles Class 8

W: Kim Junggil/Kim Youngun (KOR)

RU: Valentin Baus/Thomas Schmidberger (GER)

Men’s Doubles Class 14

W: Emil Andersson/Michael Azulay (SWE)

RU: Peter Rosenmeier/Katsuyoshi Yagi (DEN/JPN)

Men’s Doubles Class 18

W: Filip Radovic/Borna Zohil (MNE/CRO)

RU: Lev Kats/Maksym Nikolenko (UKR)

Men’s Doubles Class 22

W: Timothe Ivaldi/Valerii Vlasenko (FRA/UKR)

RU: Adam Kovacs/Milan Kreisz (HUN)

Women’s Doubles Class 5

W: Catia Oliveira/Joyce Oliveira (BRA)

RU: Carlotta Ragazzini/Giada Rossi (ITA)

Women’s Doubles Class 10

W: Lee Migyu/Flora Vauthier (KOR/FRA)

RU: Hatice Duman/Thais Severo (TUR/BRA)

Women’s Doubles Class 14

W: Zsofia Arloy/Katarzyna Marzal (HUN/POL)

RU: Felicity Pickard/Bly Twomey (GBR)

Women’s Doubles Class 20

W: Olga Gorshkaleva/Anastasia Kostenevich (AIN)

RU: Karolina Pek/Alexa Szvitacs (POL/HUN)

Titles in Lasko LEFT

Fabien Lamirault in men’s singles class 2

CENTRE LEFT

Will Bayley in men’s singles class 7

CENTRE RIGHT

Aaron McKibbin in men’s singles class 8 RIGHT

Sandra Mikolaschek in women’s singles class 4-5

LOWER LEFT

Filip Radovic won gold at the Challenger, silver in Elite

LOWER RIGHT

Najlah Al-Dayyeni won women’s singles class 6 at the Elite tournament

Mixed Doubles Class 4

W: Kim Hyeonuk/Lee Migyu (KOR)

RU: Frederico Crosara/Giada Rossi (ITA)

Mixed Doubles Class 7

W: Boris Travnicek/Thais Severo (SVK/BRA)

RU: Abdullah Ozturk/Nergiz Altintas (TUR)

Mixed Doubles Class 10

W: Kim Younggun/Zorica Popadic (KOR/SRB)

RU: Ali Ozturk/Irem Oluk (TUR)

Mixed Doubles Class 14

W: Will Bayley/Bly Twomey (GBR)

RU: Ben Despineux/Kelly van Zon (BEL/NED)

Mixed Doubles Class 17

W: Borna Zohil/Mirjana Lucic (CRO)

RU:Paulo Fonseca/Bruna Alexandre (BRA)

Mixed Doubles Class 20

W: Su Jin-Sian/Lin Tzu-Yu (TPE)

RU: Filip Radovic/Alexa Szvitacs (MNE/HUN)

Mixed Doubles Class 22

W: Chen Po-Yen/Li Jing-Shuian (TPE)

RU: Valerii Vlasenko/Natalia Kosmina (UKR)

Full Results: ITTF World Para Elite Lasko

ITTF WORLD PARA FUTURE BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

Thursday 29th May - Sunday 1st June

Under 23 Men’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Maycon Oliveira (BRA) RU: Mauro Deibe (ARG)

Under 23 Men’s Singles Class 6-7

W: Samuel Altshuler (USA) RU: Guilherme da Silva (BRA)

Under 23 Men’s Singles Class 8

Fausto Barrientes (ARG) RU: Cole Rothenberger (USA)

Under 23 Men’s Singles Class 9-10

W: Eithan Skliarsky (ARG) RU: João Possas (BRA)

Men‘s Singles Class 2-3

W: Gabriel Copola (ARG) RU: Roberto Quljada (VEN)

Men‘s Singles Class 4-5

W: Lucas Carvalhal (BRA) RU: Carlos Moraes (BRA)

Men‘s Singles Class 6

W: Ignacio Torres (CHI) RU: Matias Pino (CHI)

Men‘s Singles Class 7

W: Luciano Khazandjian (ARG) RU: Paulo Salmin (BRA)

Men‘s Singles Class 8

W: Luiz Guarnieri (BRA) RU: Jean Carlos Mashki (BRA)

Men‘s Singles Class 9

W: Lucas Carvalho (BRA) RU: Logan Watson (USA)

Men‘s Singles Class 10

W: Claudio Massad (BRA) RU: Manuel Echaveguren (CHI)

Women‘s Singles Class 1-5

W: Marliane Amaral (BRA) RU: Thais Severo (BRA)

Women‘s Singles Class 6-7

W: Giselle Muñoz (ARG) RU: Aline Ferreira (BRA)

Women‘s Singles Class 8-9

W: Danielle Rauen (BRA) RU: Jennyfer Parinos (BRA)

Women‘s Singles Class 10

W: Ailyn Espinoza (CHI) RU: Jeanelly Gongora (MEX)

Men’s Doubles Class 4

W: Luis Flores/Vincente Leiva (CHI)

RU: Guilherme da Costa/Iranildo Espindola (BRA)

Men’s Doubles Class 8

W: Gabriel Copola/Elias Romero (ARG)

RU: Carlos Moraes/Fabio Silva (BRA)

Men’s Doubles Class 14

W: Aleksy Kaniuka/Luciano Khazandjan (ARG)

RU: Matias Pino/Ignacio Torres (CHI)

Men’s Doubles Class 18

W: Gabriel Antunes/Jean Mashki (BRA)

RU: Lucas Carvalho/Paulo Salmin (BRA)

Women’s Doubles Class 5-10

W: Marliane Amaral/Thais Severo (BRA)

RU: Caty Garonne/Nayla Kuell (ARG)

Women’s Doubles Class 14-20

W: Jennyfer Parinos/Danielle Rauen (BRA)

RU: Ailyn Espinoza/Joseline Yevenes (CHI)

Mixed Doubles Class 4-10

W: Luis Flores/Tamara Leonelli (CHI)

RU: Maycon Oliveira/Marliane Amaral (BRA)

Mixed Doubles Class 14

W: Luciano Khazandjian/Giselle Muñoz (ARG)

RU: Cristian Dettoni/Liliana Caballero (CHI)

Mixed Doubles Class 17-20

W: Luiz Guarnieri/Danielle Rauen (BRA)

RU: Gabriel Oliveira/Jennyfer Parinos (BRA)

Full Results: ITTF World Para Future Buenos Aires

ITTF WORLD PARA FUTURE SANTIAGO DE CHILE

Tuesday 3rd - Thursday 5th June

Men’s Singles Class 1-2

W: Luis Flores (CHI) RU: Iranildo Espindola (BRA)

Men’s Singles Class 3

W: Roberto Quijada (VEN) RU: Fabio Silva (BRA)

Men’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Carlos Moraes (BRA) RU: Lucas Carvalhal (BRA)

Men’s Singles Class 6

W: Ignacio Torres (CHI) RU: Matias Pino (CHI)

Men’s Singles Class 7

W: Paulo Salmin (BRA) RU: Claudio Bahamondes (CHI)

Men’s Singles Class 8

W: Luiz Guarnieri (BRA) RU: Andres Beroiza (CHI)

Men’s Singles Class 9

W: Lucas Carvalho (BRA) RU: Logan Watson (USA)

Men’s Singles Class 10

W: Gabriel Antunes (BRA) RU: Claudio Massad (BRA)

Women’s Singles Class 1-3

W: Thais Severo (BRA) RU: Marliane Amaral (BRA)

Women’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Tamara Leonelli (CHI) RU: Yoleidy Fernandez (VEN)

Women’s Singles Class 6-7

W: Liliana Caballero (CHI) RU: Giselle Muñoz (ARG)

Women’s Singles Class 8-10

W: Danielle Rauen (BRA) RU: Florencia Perez (CHI)

Men’s Doubles Class 4-8

W: Gabriel Copola/Elias Romero (ARG)

RU: Carlos Moraes/Fabio Silva (BRA)

Men’s Doubles Class 14

W: Matias Pino/Ignacio Torres (CHI)

RU: Luciano Khazandjian/Aleksy Kaniuka (ARG)

Men’s Doubles Class 18

W: Claudio Bahamondes/Manuel Echaveguren (CHI)

RU: Claudio Massad/Luiz Guarnieri (BRA)

Women’s Doubles Class 10

W: Marliane Amaral/Thai Severo (BRA)

RU: Tamara Leonelli/Lissette Salinas (CHI)

Women’s Doubles Class 14-20

W: Jennyfer Parinos/Danielle Rauen (BRA)

RU: Ailyn Espindola/Joseline Yevenes (CHI)

Mixed Doubles Class 4-10

W: Fabio Silva/Thais Severo (BRA)

RU: Luis Flores/Tamara Leonelli (CHI)

Mixed Doubles Class 14-20

W: Gabriel Antunes/Jennyfer Parinos (BRA)

RU: Luiz Guarnieri/Danielle Rauen (BRA)

Full Results: ITTF World Future Para Santiago de Chile

ITTF WORLD PARA FUTURE OSTRAVA, CZECHIA

Thursday 19th - Saturday 21st June

Men’s Singles Class 1

W: Dmitri Lavrov (AIN) RU: Endre Major (HUN)

Men’s Singles Class 2

W: Lukas Kuzan (SVK) RU: Daniel Rodriguez (ESP)

Men’s Singles Class 3

W: Florian Merrien (FRA) RU: Maciej Nalepka (POL)

All three possible titles for Danielle Rauen in Buenos Aires, more success follwed in Santiago

Ignacio Torres won in Buenos Aires and Santiago

Men’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Alexandre Delarque (FRA) RU: Krszysztof Zylka (POL)

Men’s Singles Class 6

W: Bobi Simion (ROU) RU: Benedikt Müller (GER)

Men’s Singles Class 7

W: Krizander Magnussen (NOR) RU: Bjoern Schnake (GER)

Men’s Singles Class 8

W: Piotr Grudzien (POL) RU: Maksym Chudzicki (POL)

Men’s Singles Class 9

W: Jan Reinig (GER) RU: Jan Muska (CZE)

Men‘s Singles Class 10

W: Mateo Boheas (FRA) RU: Pawel Wlodyka (POL)

Men’s Singles Class 11

W: Lucas Creange (FRA) RU: Maciej Makajew (POL)

Women’s Singles Class 1-2

W: Jana Spegel (GER) RU: Aino Tapola (FIN)

Women’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Alexandra Saint-Pierre (FRA) RU: Cristina Rubio (ESP)

Women’s Singles Class 6

W: Katarzyna Marszal (POL) RU: Barbara Jablonka (POL)

Women’s Singles Class 7

W: Nora Korneliussen (NOR) RU: Tiziana Oliv (GER)

Women’s Singles Class 8

W: Aida Dahlen (NOR) RU: Olaia Martinez (ESP)

Women’s Singles Class 9

W: Karolina Pek (POL) RU: Thea Nielsen (DEN)

Women’s Singles Class 10

W: Marlene Reeg (GER) RU: Tereza Cakorova (CZE)

Women’s Singles Class 11

W: Ebru Acer (TUR) RU: Sumeyra Turk (TUR)

Men’s Doubles Class 4

W: Daniel Rodriguez/Iker Sastre (ESP)

RU: François Geuljans/Alan Papirer FRA)

Men’s Doubles Class 8

W: Maciej Nalepka/Krszysztof Zylka (POL)

RU: Mladen Ciric/Nemamja Curic (SRB)

Men’s Doubles Class 14

W: Krizander Magnussen/Sayed Youssef (NOR/EGY)

RU: Piotr Manturz/Marcin Zelinski (POL)

Men’s Doubles Class 18

W: Mateo Boheas/Thomas Bouvais (FRA)

RU: Maksym Chudzicki/Igor Misztal (POL)

Men’s Doubles Class 22

W: Sompong Tampettoem/Master Techo (THA)

RU: Adam Kovacs/Milan Kreisz (HUN)

Women’s Doubles Class 5-10

W: Cristina Rubio/Martina Sande (ESP)

RU: Andreja Dolinar/Aino Tapola (SLO/FIN)

Women’s Doubles Class 14-20

W: Tereza Cakorova/Neta Kemlinkova (CZE)

RU: Olaia Martinez/Maria Miguelles (ESP)

Women’s Doubles Class 22

W: Ecer Abru/Sumeyra Turk (TUR)

RU: Medine Karakurt/Melike Kirsakal (TUR)

Mixed Doubles Class 4-7

W: Nikolai Sommer/Jana Spegel (GER)

RU: Mladen Ciric/Kristina Arancic (SRB)

Mixed Doubles Class 10

W: Nicholas Savant-Aira/Alexandra Saint-Pierre (FRA)

RU: François Geuljans/Sarah Kornau (FRA/GER)

Mixed Doubles Class 14

W: Maksym Chudzicki/Katarzyna Marszal (POL)

RU: Krizander Magnussen/Nora Korneliussen (NOR)

Mixed Doubles Class 17-20

W: Piotr Grudzien/Karolina Pek (POL)

RU: Pawel Wlodyka/Ewa Foskett (POL)

Mixed Doubles Class 22

W: Burak Burc/Ebru Acer (TUR)

RU: Maciej Makajew/Ewa Cychowska (POL)

Full Results: ITTF Para Future Ostrava

ITTF WORLD PARA FUTURE TAIPEI, CHINESE TAIPEI

Thursday 26th - Sunday 29th June

Men’s Singles Class 1

W: Kim Kyutae (KOR) RU: Jehan Madan (IND)

Men’s Singles Class 2

W: Hwang Seongcheol (KOR) RU: Cha Sooyong (KOR)

Men’s Singles Class 3

W: Baek Youngbok (KOR) RU: Yuichiro Kitagawa (JPN)

Men’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Park Jaehyon (KOR) RU: Cheng Ming-Chih (TPE)

Men’s Singles Class 6

W: Rungroj Thainiyom (THA) RU: Lee Seho (KOR)

Men’s Singles Class 7

W: Katsuyoshi Yagi (JPN) RU: Suriyone Thapaeng (THA)

Men’s Singles Class 8

W: Hayuma Abe (JPN) RU: Jan Redulla (PHI)

Men’s Singles Class 9-10

W: Su Jin-Sian (TPE) RU: Lin Chun-Ting (TPE)

Men’s Singles Class 11

W: Samuel von Einem (AUS) RU: Chen Po-Yen (TPE)

Women’s Singles Class 1-2

W: Nadejda Pushpasheva (AIN) RU: Liao Yu-Ting (TPE)

Women’s Singles Class 3

W: Patamawadee Intanon (THA) RU: Sonalben Patel (IND)

Women’s Singles Class 4-5

W: Bhavina Patel (IND) RU: Lisa Di Toro (AUS)

Women’s Singles Class 6-7

W: Raisa Chebanika (AIN) RU: Jhona Pena (PHI)

Women’s Singles Class 8-10

W: Tian Shiau-Wen (TPE) RU: Lin Tzu-Yu (TPE)

Women’s Singles Class 11

W: Natsuki Wada (JPN) RU: Elena Prokofeva (AIN)

Men’s Doubles Class 4

W: Kim Kyutae/Jang Yeongin (KOR)

RU: Cha Sooyong/Hwang Seongcheol

Men’s Doubles Class 14

W: Kim Yongbok/Pak Kumjin (KOR)

RU: Rungroj Thainiyom/Sunyone Thapaeng (THA)

Men’s Doubles Class 18

W: Hayuma Abe/Nariaki Kakita (JPN)

RU: So Kwangnam/Yun Kwangsong (KOR)

Men’s Doubles Class 22

W: Chen Po-Yen/Hsieh Fei (TPE)

RU: Riko Muakami Choi Suhwan (JPN/KOR)

Women’s Doubles Class 5-10

W: Lin Yen-Ying/Lu Pi-Chun (TPE)

RU: Kimie Besso/Vijaya Gangapatnam (JPN/IND)

Women’s Doubles Class 14-20

W: Lin Tzu-Yu/Tian Shiau-Wen (TPE)

RU: Anastasia Kostenevich/Elena Litvinenko (AIN)

Mixed Doubles Class 4

W: Rodrick Li/Nadejda Pushpasheva (SGP/AIN)

RU: Jehan Madan/Vidya Kumari (IND)

Mixed Doubles Class 7

W: Busree Wawaeni/Patamawadee Intanon (THA)

RU: Rameshbhai Chaudhary/Sonalben Patel (IND)

Mixed Doubles Class 10

W: Cheng Chung/Yuen Wing Ki (HKG)

RU: Teeradech Klangmanee/Pattaravadee

Wararitdamrongkul (THA)

Mixed Doubles Class 14

W: Rungroj Thainiyom/Kanlaya Chaiwut-Kriablang (THA)

RU: Suriyone Thapeng/Kanokporn Phathumcai (THA)

Mixed Doubles Class 17

W: Jan Wilfred Redulla/Lney Manginsay (PHI)

RU: Linadr Sultan/Jhona Pena (PHI)

Mixed Doubles Class 20

W: Sun Jin-Sian/Lin Tzu-Yu (TPE)

RU: Lin Chun-Ting/Anastasia Kostenevich (TPE/AIN)

Mixed Doubles Class 22

W: Cen Po-Yen/Li Jing-Shiuan (TPE)

RU: Omar Musaev/Vikotoria Minaeva (AIN)

Full Results: ITTF World Para Future Taipei

Mateo Boheas won men’s singles class 10 and men’s doubles class 18 in Ostrava

Masters

Trumpauskas at the double

Two titles at the VETTS National Masters staged in Wolverhampton on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th May, followed some six weeks later by the same outcome at the European Veteran Championships on Saturday 21st June in Novi Sad, England’s Lorestas Trumpauskas had just cause to celebrate.

Furthermore, it was not the only reason for rejoicing. On the weekend when he was succeeding in Wolverhampton, in not too far distant Kettering, son Larry won the under 21 men’s singles title at the Mark Bates Ltd Junior and Under 21 National Championships!

At the VETTS National Masters, father won men’s singles over 50 in addition to men’s doubles over 40 with Victor Guang Shi. Later, in Novi Sad, he prevailed in men’s singles over 55 and with Lithuania’s Sandijs Vasiljevs in men’s doubles 50.

Efforts rewarded, it was the same in Wolverhampton for England’s Ritchie Venner and Phil Bowen. Adding to men’s singles success, in the same age group,Venner won men’s doubles 60 with John Dyson, Bowen men’s doubles 70 with John Poysden.

Most worthy performances but they were somewhat upstaged by England’s Linda Simpson. In the over 70 age category she won the women’s singles and partnering compatriot, Sandra Rider, the women’s doubles. Significantly, she completed the season unbeaten in the VETTS Regional Masters tournaments.

Likewise, at the European Veteran Championships, in addition to Trumpauskas, five further players secured two titles, the maximum possible. Germany’s Manfred Nieswand claimed men’s singles and men’s dou-

bles gold, a situation that applied in the counterpart women’s singles and women’s doubles to Croatia’s Branka Batinic, Finland’s Maria Donner, Austria’s Gertrud Mikyska and Hungary’s Gabriella Zacher.

Competing in over 70 years, Manfred Nieswand added the men’s doubles alongside compatriot Jürgen Hecht. Meanwhile, in the women’s doubles, in over 40 years Maria Donner succeeded alongside Sweden’s Sofia Westholm; in over 65 years, Branka Batinic joined forces with Estonia’s Kai Thornbech, in over 85 years Gertrud Mikyska allied with the Czech Republic’s Eva Svecova. Rather differently for Gizella Zacher, the gold medals came in different age groups. In the women’s singles it was over 80 years, in the women’s doubles over 75 years in harness with Larisa Ilinskaia, an independent athlete.

Notably, for Maria Donner it was an exact repeat of her performance at the Rome 2024 World Veteran Cham pionships. Also, Austria’s Ding Yi rep licated his men’s singles over 65 years success enjoyed in the Italian capital city, as did Spain’s Josep Madurell Rodriguez in men’s singles 85 years and Italy’s Rita Pogosova in women’s singles 75 years.

Overall, a total of 1,831 men, 563 women represent ing 43 ITTF member associa tions, competed in Novi Sad, the most senior being 93 year old Frenchman Henri Yahei. A staggering 8,328 matches completed the schedul

VETTS NATIONAL MASTERS, WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND

Saturday 17th - Sunday 18th May

Men’s Singles Over 40

W: Jacek Koziarski RU: Oleh Biletskyi

Men’s Singles Over 50

W: Lorestas Trumpauskas RU: Jason Ramage

Men’s Singles Over 60

W: Ritchie Venner RU: Tony Bates

Men’s Singles Over 70

W: Phil Bowen RU: John Hilton

Men’s Singles Over 75

W: John Hilton RU: Geoff Salter

Women’s Singles Over 40

W: Katlin Poldveer RU: Pille Vessaar

Men’s Singles Over 50

W: Jo Keighley RU: Sara Williams

Men’s Singles Over 60

W: Kai Thornbech RU: Joy Daniels

Women’s Singles Over 70

W: Penny Perry RU: Sue Felstead

Women’s Singles Over 80

W: Sue Felstead RU: Margaret Dignum

Open Singles Over 90

W: Bernard Harrison RU: Eric Renshaw

Men’s Doubles Over 40

W: Lorestas Trumpauskas/Victor Guang Shi

RU: Roman Doryn/Jacek Koziarski

Men’s Doubles Over 50

W: Phil Cox/Diccon Gray

RU: Lee Horton/Simon Pugh

Men’s Doubles Over 60

W: Tim Dyson/Ritchie Venner

RU: Paul Giles/Adrian Pilgrim

Men’s Doubles Over 70

W: Phil Bowen/John Poysdenr

RU: Dennis Gibbs/Terry Parkins

Women’s Doubles Over 40

W: Hurey Ahmetoglu/Tumay Ekrem

RU: Katlin Poldveer/Pille Veesaar

Women’s Doubles Over 50

W: Debby Auvache/Rose Rainton

RU: Rebecca Hurrell/Clare Styles

Women’s Doubles Over 60

W: Diane St Leger/Jane Vickers

RU: Teresa Devaney/Kai Thornbech

Women’s Doubles Over 70

W: Sandra Rider/Linda Simpson

RU: Sue Felstead/June Nelse

Mixed Doubles Over 40

W: Jacek Koziarski/Gabriela Tankel

RU: Adam Fuzes/Sara Williams

Open Doubles Over 80

W: Dennis Brommage/Ray Dixon

RU: Roy Norton/Robin Stace

Full Results: VETTS National Masters

LEFT Lorestas Trumpauskas

EUROPEAN VETERAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, NOVI SAD, SERBIA

Monday 16th - Saturday 21st June

Men’s Singles Over 40

W: Grigory Vlasov (AIN) RU: Thomas Guinat (FRA)

Men’s Singles Over 45

W: Cédric Merchez (BEL) RU: Lucian Filimon (FRA)

Men’s Singles Over 50

W: Ioannis Vlotinos (GRE) RU: David Stepanek (CZE)

Men’s Singles Over 55

W: Lorestas Trumpauskas (ENG) RU: Lars Mattson (SWE)

Men’s Singles Over 60

W: Zsolt-Georg Böhm (HUN) RU: Carsten Egeholt (DEN)

Men’s Singles Over 65

W: Ding Yi (AUT) RU: Igor Roldugin (AIN)

Men’s Singles Over 70

W: Manfred Nieswand (GER) RU: Alexandr Saprykin (UKR)

Men’s Singles Over 75

W: Gerd Werner (GER) RU: Reinhard Sorger (AUT)

Men’s Singles Over 80

W: Wilfried Lieck (GER) RU: Rene Theillout (GER)

Men’s Singles Over 85

W: Josep Madurell Rodriguez ESP) RU: Dennis Bromage (WAL)

Men’s Singles Over 90

W: Hans Nolte (GER) RU: Georgijs Lobonosovs (LAT)

Women’s Singles Over 40

W: Marina Donner (FIN) RU: Timea Ambrus (HUN)

Women’s Singles Over 45

W: Olga Chramko (POR) RU: Svetlana Popovtseva (AIN)

Women’s Singles Over 50

W: Stanisava Dimanic (SRB) RU: Elena Chunikhina (AIN)

Women’s Singles Over 55

W: Elzbieta Kazberuk (POL) RU: Ulrika Hansson (SWE)

Women’s Singles Over 60

W: Inna Tikhomirova (AIN) RU: Galyna Yenenko (UKR)

Women’s Singles Over 65

W: Branka Batinic (CRO) RU: Birgit Finger (GER)

Women’s Singles Over 70

W: Elmira Antonyan Brunner (SUI) RU: Ekaterina Krasnova (AIN)

Women’s Singles Over 75

W: Rita Pogosova (ITA) RU: Larisa Ilinskaia (AIN)

Women’s Singles Over 80

W: Gizella Zacher (HUN) RU: Renata Burg (AUT)

Women’s Singles Over 85

W: Gertrud Mikyska (AUT) RU: Heidi Wunner (GER)

Men’s Doubles Over 40

W: Lucian Filimon/Julien Pietropaoli FRA)

RU: Thomas Guignat/Victor Guang Shi (FRA/ENG)

Men’s Doubles Over 45

W: Aleksandar Karakasevic/Dragutin Surbek (SRB/CRO)

RU: Tarek Al-Samhoury/Wojciech Kolodziejczyk (AUT/POL)

Men’s Doubles Over 50

W: Lorestas Trumpauskas/Sandijs Vasiljevs (ENG/LTU)

RU: Attila Szabo/Krisztian Szabo (HUN)

Men’s Doubles Over 55

W: Oljeg Basaric/Peter Djordjevic (SRB)

RU: Detlef Gaesssler/Guido Hehmann (GER)

Men’s Doubles Over 60

W: Evgenii Katselenbogen/Miklos Nagy (AIN/HUN)

RU: Paul Giles/Paul Whiting (ENG)

Men’s Doubles Over 65

W: Lars Ericsson/Lars Hauth (SWE/DEN)

RU: Ove Johansson/Dan Lagerlöf (SWE)

Men’s Doubles Over 70

W: Jürgen Hecht/Manfred Nieswand (GER)

RU: Reinhard Sorger/Roger Sundqvist (AUT/SWE)

Men’s Doubles Over 75

W: Dietmar Diesing/Rudolf Steiner (GER)

RU: Erling Borge Nielsen/Niels Ramberg (DEN)

Men’s Doubles Over 80

W: Izet Beganovic/Wilfried Lieck (GER)

RU: Wolfgang Schmidt/Bernd Witthaus (GER)

Men’s Doubles Over 85

W: Dennis Bromage/Ray Dixon (WAL/ENG)

RU: Adam Hnyda/Gunars Jekabsons (POL/LAT)

Men’s Doubles Over 90

W: Adolf Höfler/Hans Nolte (GER)

RU: Hans-Dieter Kleim/Georgijs Lobonosovs (GER/LAT)

Women’s Doubles Over 40

W: Marina Donner/Sofia Westholm (FIN/SWE)

RU: Timea Ambrus/Szilvia Farkas (HUN)

Women’s Doubles Over 45

W: Alexandra Haaranen/Diana Pataki (HUN)

RU: Martina Kapfinger/Ursula Luh-Fleischer (AUT/GER)

Women’s Doubles Over 50

W: Elena Chunikhina/Larisa Lavrukhina (AIN)

RU: Viktoria Marosi/Krisztina Spengler (HUN)

Women’s Doubles Over 55

W: Marta Daubnerova/ElzbietaKazberuk (SVK/POL)

RU: Petronela Badurova/Daniela Petrekova (SVK)

Women’s Doubles Over 60

W: Cornelia Bienstadt/Karen Hellwig (GER)

RU: Ibolya Schneiderne Mahli/Marta Toth (HUN)

Women’s Doubles Over 65

W: Maria Elisabetta Debbi/Giulia Sobrero (ITA)

RU: Yolanda Garcia Rodriguez/Julia Infante Lope (ESP)

Women’s Doubles Over 60

W: Cornelia Bienstadt/Karen Hellwig (GER)

RU: Ibolya Schneiderne Mahli/Marta Toth (HUN)

Women’s Doubles Over 65

W: Branka Batinic/Kai Thornbech (CRO/EST)

RU: Birgit Finger/Svea Onno (GER/EST)

Women’s Doubles Over 70

W: Ekaterina Krasnova/Sonia Milic (AIN/ITA)

RU: Eliane Charbonneau/Françoise Guilloteau (FRA)

Women’s Doubles Over 75

W: Larisa Ilinskaia/Gizella Zacher (AIN/HUN)

RU: Hannelore Dillenberger/Karin Flemke (GER)

Women’s Doubles Over 80

W: Susan Felstead/June Nelson (ENG)

RU: Kari Solveig Gjengedal/Heidi Wunner (NOR/GER)

Women’s Doubles Over 85

W: Gertrud Mikyska/Eva Svecova (AUT/CZE)

RU: Ingegerd Freinert/Chantal Masset (SWE/FRA)

Full Results: European Veteran Championships

Marina Donner left and right Sofia Westholm, women’s doubles over 40 winners

TABLE TENNIS HISTORY

Published periodically

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Edited by Steve Grant

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WEBSITE: Table Tennis History

SCI Mag No.118 (final)

An Incredible Journey

SWAYTHLING

Issue No.118 / July 2025

CONTENTS

The magazine is yours

Active

An Incredible Journey

SHARATH KAMAL ACHANTA

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Commonwealth Games

FULL HOUSE IN MOSCOW

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS - VALENTINA POPOVA

Standard Bearers

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS - MARIA ALEXANDRU

The Tragedy of the Youngest Ever

New Zealand GETTING TO GRIPS

TOO GOOD TO MISS

NEW ZEALAND

DIFFICULT DECISION

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

A WORLD UNITED BY TABLE TENNIS

Swaythling Club International Opens Doors in Ecuador

SWAYTHLING CLUB NEWS

Hans Wilhelm Gab 1936-2025

Honouring Joe Veselsky

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Meeting in Prague

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Fair play recognised in Doha

Jordi Serra elected secretary

Award recipient to world champion

Korean delegation

Return to Novi Sad

IN FOCUS IN FOCUS

World Title

Hugo Calderano on fire in Macao and Doha

ITTF MEN’S AND WOMEN’S WORLD CUP, MACAO, CHINA

MEN’S SINGLES

ITTF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS FINALS, DOHA, QATAR

MEN’S SINGLES

WOMEN’S SINGLES

WOMEN’S DOUBLES

World Table Tennis

Everywhere podium places for Japan

WTT CHAMPIONS INCHEON, KOREA REPUBLIC

WTT FEEDER HAVIROV, CZECHIA

World Table Tennis Youth

Anna Hursey endorses worthy claim

LEFT

CENTRE

LEFT

Regional

Para Table Tennis

All roads lead to Lasko

Masters

Trumpauskas at the double

EUROPEAN VETERAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, NOVI SAD, SERBIA

TABLE TENNIS HISTORY