The ITTF is delighted to welcome on board the Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) as sponsor of this year’s ITTF World Tour Grand Finals, one of the most prestigious events in the international table tennis calendar, and also the ITTF Star Awards, when the world of table tennis will unite to celebrate several of the greatest achievements in the sport over the past 12 months.

Founded in 1951, ABC represents one of the “Big Four” banks in China, boasting over 320 million retail customers, 2.7 million corporate clients and nearly 24,000 branches. They are China’s third largest lender by assets. After going public in mid-2010, they ranked eighth among the top 1,000 World Banks in 2011. By 2015, their ranking raised to third in Forbes’ 13th annual Global 2000 list.

Over the years, ABC has earned multiple social responsibility awards, most recently the China Banking Industry’s Top 100 Social Responsibility Evaluation 2018. The bank boasts a strong reputation of aiding the citizens of their country. Notably, ABC recently promoted a financial service centre for overseas students, in addition to supporting a greener development drive in China.

Among its broad range of banking services, ABC works with deposits, loans, domestic settlement, currency trading, and more; their clients being individuals, enterprises, and others.

Now ABC is stepping into the world of international table tennis, as title sponsor of one of the sport’s most prestigious annual events, namely the ITTF World Tour Grand Finals, which will be staged from Thursday 12th to Sunday 15th December in Zhengzhou, China.

A prize fund in excess of US$ 1,000,000, a total of 16 players will compete in each of the men’s singles and women’s singles events. In each of the men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles competitions, it is eight pairs. In the mixed doubles, there is the added incentive of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games spots available to the four semi-finalists.

The glitz and glamour surrounding the event will be heightened by the annual ITTF Star Awards, which have been held since 2013 to celebrate the most successful players and achievements of the past year. This will be the very first time that the Awards are staged in China and what better way to do so than with the Agricultural Bank of China as title sponsor.