The wait is finally over for table tennis fans around the world as the list of players for the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals 2023, to be held in Durban, South Africa, has been unveiled. The much-anticipated event, which will take place from 20 to 28 May 2023, will see players from around the world compete for one of the sport’s most prestigious titles.

The flagship event, which is set to take place at the Durban International Convention Centre, will feature 128 players in singles (Men and Women) and 64 pairs in each of the doubles competitions (Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles) competing in a straight knockout format with 2,000 World Ranking points for the champions.

The top players in the world will be in attendance, including, Fan Zhendong, Sun Yingsha, Wang Chuqin, Wang Manyu, Tomokazu Harimoto, Chen Meng, Ma Long, Mima Ito, Hugo Calderano and Wang Yidi.

However, the spotlight is not only on the established stars. This year’s event is an especially significant one for the African continent as it marks the return of the championship to Africa after 84 years. The last time the event was held in Africa was in Cairo, Egypt, in 1939.

The ITTF World Championships will provide an opportunity for the home fans to witness the top and rising stars of the continent, such as Quadri Aruna, Dina Meshref, Omar Assar, and Hana Goda, who will be hoping to make a mark on the world stage. Their presence in this prestigious event is a testament to the growing popularity of table tennis in Africa.

Reigning champions, Fan Zhendong and Wang Manyu will be looking to defend their titles, but the new men’s world number two, Wang Chuqin and women’s world number one, Sun Yingsha will be sure to give a good fight for the title. Can the Swedish pair of Mattias Falck and Kristian Karlsson retain their men’s doubles title? Or can Truls Moregard clinch the singles title this year, after coming so close at the 2021 ITTF World Championships?

Only time will tell, but fans can be sure that the upcoming ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals 2023 will be an exciting event filled with talented players from all over the world. For the full list of players, visit here.