For the coming week, Houston, Texas, will be the world capital of table tennis. This is a historic moment; the city will become the first-ever host of the event in the Americas.
The world’s best players are going to face each other until 29 November at George R. Brown Convention Center. This is one of the most open World Championships in memory, leaving us all wondering who will be crowned as the next champions.
Adopting a revamped and expanded format for the first time, the flagship event will feature 128 players in singles (Men and Women) and 64 pairs in each of the doubles competitions (Men Doubles, Women Doubles, Mixed Doubles) competing in a straight knockout format.
Broadcasted in more than 200 countries and with more than 500 million fans globally across digital and linear platforms, these world Championships will be an unforgettable experience. Find out where you can watch all the actions here.
History will also be made in Houston as China and the USA will join forces with two pairs formed of both American and Chinese players entering the Mixed Doubles competition on the year marking the 50th anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy.
“I feel extremely honoured to be part of this moment in history. I think it is so important to have this Ping Pong Diplomacy between our two countries and it is such a wonderful feeling to know that our sport is bringing the two countries together, said America’s Lily Zhang today after a practice session with her new Chinese partner, Lin Gaoyuan.
Along them, hundreds of athletes coming from all over the world and eager to play. Like Sipos Rares from Romania who couldn’t hide his excitement. “I look forward to the commencement of the tournament, especially with the presence of fans”
The 2021 Championships are of even greater significance for the Table Tennis community when the 2020 event in Busan, Korea, was cancelled due to COVID-19. However, despite all the challenges, the table tennis family has come together to make this year’s event a reality.
The 2021 World Table Tennis Championships Finals are now starting in just a few hours. All you need to know is available on World Table Tennis website.