It’s time to #RESTART!

After several months of suspended activity, international table tennis events will return in November 2020 via the #RESTART series.

China will be hosting three of the most prestigious ITTF events: the Dishang 2020 ITTF Women’s World Cup (8 – 10 November), the Dishang 2020 ITTF Men’s World Cup (13 – 15 November) and the 2020 ITTF Finals (19 – 22 November).

Attention will then turn to WTT Macao (25 – 29 November), a proof of concept showpiece that offers the first glimpse into the exciting future envisioned for our sport in the new era of World Table Tennis (WTT).

Challenges and Opportunities

This episode of Inner Spin kicks off with world-class athletes, Lily Zhang and Hugo Calderano, talking about their experiences during lockdown.

How did they keep up their training regimes? What was it like without competitions? How did they take care of their mental health and physical fitness?

Positive thinking prevailed, as the players used the time to focus and improve on certain aspects of their game, to get in the best possible shape for when the action resumes. This bodes very well for the upcoming events, with fans intrigued to see who will be the stars of the show in China and Macao this November!

Safety First

Health and safety are the top priorities for ensuring a successful return to the international arena and plenty of work has been undertaken to create the safest possible environment for everyone involved in the events.

Interim ITTF Competitions Director, Gabor Felegyi, explains in detail how the logistics of the “bubble” format provide the best possible protection for players and staff. There will be world-class training facilities and extensive support services available to the athletes to aid them during the quarantine phase and their extended period away from home.

Ready for World Table Tennis!

World Table Tennis (WTT) has been created as the new commercial and events company of the ITTF, placing players and fans at the core of all its business to catapult table tennis to the forefront of global sports business.

The upcoming WTT Macao showpiece will provide an opportunity for players, fans and media to sample a taste of what to expect when WTT launches its first annual calendar of events in 2021.

One of the most revolutionary moments in the history of our sport is upon us and the excitement is sky-high!

So, what do our world-class athletes think about WTT? How will it benefit them? What are they most looking forward to? How will WTT help the sport to grow?

Listen to Lily and Hugo exclusively in this latest episode of Inner Spin to find out! Full videos are available on Facebook and YouTube.

Make sure you join our conversation! Share your thoughts in the comments on our social media posts!

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