WTT Youth Contender Doha 2025 gets underway

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January 27, 2025
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27-January-2025

WTT Youth Contender Doha 2025 gets underway

Doha: The WTT Youth Contender Doha 2025 tournament officially began today at Aspire Women’s Sports Hall. Organized by the Qatar Table Tennis Association in collaboration with World Table Tennis (WTT), the event runs until January 30 as part of Qatar’s 2025 International Table Tennis Series. This year’s tournament has set a new record, drawing 400 players from 60 countries to compete.

The opening day showcased thrilling matches in the boys’ and girls’ under-17 singles categories, as well as the boys’ under-13 singles.

In the boys’ under-17 singles, South Korea’s Lee Sangsoo advanced to the quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory over Qatar’s Ahmed Al-Qarni in the round of 16. Tunisia’s Wasim Al-Said also progressed, defeating Turkey’s Kenan Kahraman 3-0 in the same round.

In the girls’ under-17 singles, South Korea’s Yoo Yoorin cruised to the quarterfinals with a dominant 3-0 win over Azerbaijan’s Marziya Nirmatova. Meanwhile, her compatriot Choa Nahyoom overcame Japan’s Yu Sakuma in a tightly contested match, winning 3-2 to secure her spot in the next round.

The competition continues until Thursday, featuring a packed schedule of matches, including boys’ and girls’ singles, mixed doubles for under-19 and under-15 categories, and events for under-17, under-13, and under-11 categories.

Following this tournament, the WTT Youth Star Contender will be held from January 31 to February 2. The series will conclude with the flagship Feeder Series Championship, scheduled for February 4 to 8, which will bring together world-class players and top-ranked athletes from around the globe.

The Qatar Table Tennis Association’s focus on hosting these events in close succession reflects its strategic vision to prioritize youth development and prepare future Qatari table tennis stars. This initiative aligns with the Qatar Olympic Committee’s long-term plans to groom athletes for the Doha 2030 Asian Games, with the ultimate goal of achieving podium finishes.

These tournaments also serve as vital preparation for the 2025 World Table Tennis Championships Finals, set to take place in Doha from May 17 to 25. Returning to Doha for the first time since 2004, this global event will test organizational readiness while highlighting Qatar’s capabilities as a premier host for world-class sporting events.