It is likely that the current batch of table tennis athletes are one of best we have ever seen, with the likes of Ma Long, Timo Boll, Chen Meng, Ding Ning and many more lighting up international events and exciting fans every time they take to the table. With the 2019 ITTF World Veterans Tour taking place in Shenzhen this week, we are using the popular FaceApp application to take a look at just how the sport’s biggest stars will appear while playing their own version of the Veterans Tour 2o years on from now!

Ma Long still going strong

‘The Dragon’ shows no signs of fading away in 2039, nor is he any less motivated to challenge for the major trophies. Even though he’s won everything the sport has to offer, that first title on the ITTF World Veterans Tour will taste just as sweet!

Chen Meng stays at the summit!

Power, grit, determination: Chen Meng has not changed and the current world no.1 is very much on course to maintain that top spot on the Veterans Tour as well!

Timo’s got permanent class

‘Form is temporary. Class is permanent.’ The Timo of 2039 will be no different to the one that table tennis fans around the world know and love today.

Bernie barely looks a day older!

Some people just age better than others… Romania’s Bernadette Szocs is one of the fortunate ones it seems!

Quadri still the king!

He’s run the rule over Nigerian table tennis for nearly a decade already. 20 years later, Quadri Aruna’s cult status is even higher than before.

Queen of Hearts rules in 2039!

Chinese superstar Ding Ning has a habit of making comebacks when it seems impossible, so who’s to say she will not be at the top of her game in two decades’ time? The Queen of Hearts is in no mood to surrender her throne anytime soon!

No retirement to Rio for Hugo!

Most top Brazilian athletes return back to their homeland as soon as their prime years are over, however Hugo Calderano is no typical Brazilian. His friends and family in Rio de Janeiro will now be rooting for the “Thrill from Brazil” on the Veterans Tour!

Mima Ito to Mamma Ito!

The Japanese powerhouse still looks fairly young to us in two decades and she has not lost an ounce of energy either. Those speedy forehands are still at work!

Veteran or Viking?!

It’s all in the beard! Sweden’s Mattias Falck has never looked more like his proud Scandinavian ancestors than on the World Veterans Tour. Even the raw celebration is the stuff of Vikings.

Sun rises early…again

Technically still too young to be on the World Veterans Tour by the time 2039 arrives, there will be no stopping Sun Yingsha from crashing the party and beating her elders!

Harimoto in a hurry to win

Tomokazu Harimoto just loves winning trophies. By the age of 15, he already won an ITTF World Tour Grand Finals, so who’s to say the Japanese wonder will not be competing for honours on the Veterans Tour too! The only issue is he just may need to wait a further five years to be eligible!

Check up on this years’ Veterans World Tour on ITTF.com, watch live matches on itTV and be entertained on ITTF social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube and Weibo.