German international Dimitrij Ovtcharov wins Lagos WTT after second attempt

Posted : 23 June 2024

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After his second visit to Nigeria, German international Dimitrij Ovtcharov, alongside a familiar face in Nigeria, India’s Sreeja Akula, claimed the 2024 WTT Contender Lagos singles titles at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

The final day of the tournament witnessed thrilling table tennis action as champions were crowned in Women’s Singles, Men’s Singles, Women’s Doubles, and Men’s Doubles categories at WTT Contender Lagos 2024.

Joining the WTT Series event calendar in 2023, this is the second-ever WTT Contender event staged in Nigeria, attracting talent from around the world for a week of intense table tennis competition.

In the Women’s Singles final, Indian Akula and China's Ding Yijie faced off in their maiden WTT Series singles final appearances. Akula, a two-time WTT Feeder Series champion, and Ding, a rising star with four WTT Youth Series titles, battled fiercely for the title.

Akula showcased resilience by saving three match points in the semifinals, while Ding aimed to become the lowest-ranked player to win a WTT Series Women’s Singles title. Ultimately, Akula emerged victorious with a 4-1 win (10-12, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6), adding another chapter to her legacy following her Women’s Doubles triumph earlier in the day.

The Men’s Singles final featured an all-German clash between Ovtcharov and Ricardo Walther. Ovtcharov, a seasoned competitor and 2023 finalist, was determined to secure his first WTT Series singles title since 2021.

Despite Walther's debut at WTT Contender Lagos and his efforts to make an impact with a victory, Ovtcharov triumphed 4-1 (11-7, 11-7, 7-11, 12-10, 11-6), claiming his second WTT Series singles title.

In the Women’s Doubles final, the Indian pair of Sreeja Akula and Archana Girish Kamath faced compatriots Yashaswini Ghorpade and Diya Parag Chitale. Akula and Kamath displayed exceptional teamwork to clinch the title with a 3-0 victory (11-9, 11-6, 12-10) in their first international final together.

The Men’s Doubles final saw Nigerian pair Azeez Solanke and Olajide Omotayo challenge Indian duo Harmeet Desai and Manav Vikash Thakkar. Desai and Thakkar, partners since 2016, secured their first Men’s Doubles title as a pair with a 3-0 win (11-8, 11-9, 11-8).

In the Mixed Doubles final, Korea Republic's Shin Yubin and Lim Jonghoon claimed their third WTT Series Mixed Doubles title of 2024 by defeating China's Xu Huiyao and Luo Jiecheng 3-0 (11-4, 11-9, 11-4).

Once again, Lagos proved to be an exceptional host for the WTT Series, offering fans competitive table tennis action. The event featured 32-player Men’s and Women’s Singles draws, and 16-player Men’s and Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles draws, all competing for a share of the $80,000 prize pool and ITTF World Ranking points.

German international Dimitrij Ovtcharov wins Lagos WTT after second attempt

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