WTT Star Contender season kicks off in Doha

Doha: Qatar will play host to the 2025 World Table Tennis season opener as the WTT Star Contender Doha takes center stage at the Lusail Sports Arena f...

Doha: Qatar will play host to the 2025 World Table Tennis season opener as the WTT Star Contender Doha takes center stage at the Lusail Sports Arena from today, January 6, 2025.

It will be the second consecutive year that Qatar serves as the starting point for the WTT Series which sees the world’s best paddlers in action.

The entry list for the men’s singles includes a host of the world’s top-ranked players, including Japan’s World No. 3 Tomokazu Harimoto, a former champion in the Doha event (2021). 

Germany’s Dang Qiu (World No. 9) and his compatriot Patrick Franziska (World No.10) are also in action, Slovenia’s world No.11 Darko Jorgic, who secured his maiden WTT Series singles win in Lima last year, is also poised to challenge the favourites.

In the women’s singles, Japan’s World No.5 Hina Hayata returns after a magnificent performance in last year’s Doha event, aiming to secure her eighth WTT Series title.