2024 WTT Lagos: High hopes as hostilities begin at Teslim Balogun Stadium

Posted : 20 June 2024

You can now watch all NPFL matches Live: https://www.africasport.net/npfl/home/

As hostilities begin at the second edition of the World Table Tennis (WTT) Contender in Lagos, players have expressed high hopes for the star-studded competition.

The World Ranking tournament kicked off in Lagos at the Indoor Sports Hall of Molade Okoya Thomas, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, with the international table tennis stars in high spirits.

Players on parade at the $75,000 prize tournament include #41, Zho Qihao, and World No. 12 Jang Woojin, who headlines the Men’s Singles draw after receiving a wildcard entry for the event.

Twice a runner-up in this year’s WTT Series, the player from the Republic of Korea leads an elite playing field in Lagos, with fellow World Top 20 players Darko Jorgic, last competition's runner-up Dimitrij Ovtcharov, and Chuang Chih-Yuan in the fray.

Patrick Franziska also makes an appearance, with the World No. 17’s entry confirmed following Nigeria's Quadri Aruna’s withdrawal due to injury.

Runner-up at WTT Star Contender Goa 2023, World No. 16 Cheng I-Ching is the highest-ranked entry in the Women’s Singles draw.

The Chinese Taipei player is followed closely by 18-year-old Korean ace Shin Yubin, who is chasing her second WTT Contender title after striking the jackpot last year in Nova Gorica.

Shin’s compatriot Jeon Jihee also makes the Top 5 of the entry list, sandwiched by two of Egypt’s finest as Dina Meshref and Hana Goda eye international glory on African soil. Meanwhile, Nigerian fans will be in full voice with Fatimo Bello coming in at No. 7 on the list.

Meshref is one of three African players ranked in the Top 10 of the Women's Singles entry list.

In addition to the singles lists, the player line-up has also been finalized for the three doubles events.

Taking home the silver medal for the second World Championships Finals in a row, Jang Woojin and Lim Jonghoon will be looking to finish one step higher in Lagos as the top-seeded Men’s Doubles pair.

The same can be said of Jeon Jihee and Shin Yubin in the Women’s Doubles draw as they look to build on their runner-up finish achieved at last month’s World Championships Finals in Durban.

Shin and Lim are also favorites to win big in the Mixed Doubles event after being named the top-ranked combination on duty in Lagos. However, they’ll have to be on their guard with the experienced Slovak duo of Barbora Balazova and Lubomir Pistej ready to shake up the title race.

2024 WTT Lagos: High hopes as hostilities begin at Teslim Balogun Stadium

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics