Top paddlers to lock horns in first ever WTT Contender in Muscat

Muscat, Feb 26

The top seeded table tennis players will shine in Muscat as WTT Contender Muscat 2022 competitions will begin on Sunday at the main indoor hall of Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex.

More than 200 paddlers, technical delegation members and umpires representing 41 countries will take part in the mega TT event in Muscat. The Oman Table Tennis Association (OTTA) completed all the logistics and technical preparations ahead of the event start.

Earlier on Friday, the draw of men’s singles put Oman’s Mashal al Shahi in a clash with the Russian Vladimir Sidorenko in the qualification draw of round two while Badar al Jassasi will meet Chinese Xu Yingbin in the same round.

Ahmed al Riyami will take on England’s Tom Jarvis in a tight encounter. Oman’s top seeding player, Muhannad al Balushi, the runner up of the senior singles category, will play in the main draw of 32 as an opportunity of the hosts.

Oman’s domestic paddlers aims from this top TT event to showcase their top efforts. It will be great chance for the local players to gain the international experience and to develop their world ranking points.

Oman’s paddlers went through comprehensive training program under watchful eyes of the Iranian coach Omid Shamas Sharbabki, the head coach of the national TT team.

The six days event will feature attendance of World No 5 Jingkun Liangh of China and his team-mate Gayoyuan Lin (WR No 10), besides WR No11 Quadri Aruna from Nigeria and French top paddler Gauzy (WR No 20) and many other top seeded paddlers who will compete in the world-class TT tourney in Muscat.

The mega TT event will be under OTTA organisation in coordination with WTT and World TT governing body ITTF. The event in Muscat will feature four categories including men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

All the participants will compete for the cash prize of $75,000. The main competition venue will accommodate eight tables as eight games will be held at the same time.

Many other tables will be allocated in the practicing areas for the warm-up sessions. Egypt’s Mohammed El Dawlaty is the WTT event supervisor while OTTA’s Sajad Mohammed Baqir is the Event Director.