World Table Tennis (WTT) spent Friday detailing its tournament lineup for the first six months of 2021. The strategy centers around three primary locations—the Middle East, China, and Europe—which will serve as the official 'Hubs' for the events.
WTT had high hopes of launching a completely new chapter for table tennis in 2021. However, the global disruption caused by COVID-19 meant the organization had to pivot, adopting a more careful and measured approach to its first official event calendar.
The schedule starts in the Middle East, with competitions running from March 17 through April 3, 2021. The focus then shifts to China from April 13 to May 16, before concluding the first half of the season in Europe between May 27 and June 20.
According to Stephen Duckitt, the Event Strategy Director at WTT, 2021 is set to be a historic year for the sport. He stressed that the association is fully committed to the fans, working tirelessly to ensure the matches are top-tier, exciting, and bring a new energy to the game.
The prestigious Grand Smash, the pinnacle of professional table tennis, will make its debut during the China Hub. Additionally, the WTT Champions Series will be a key highlight, offering athletes a chance to earn significant prize money and crucial ranking points necessary for qualifying for the WTT Cup Finals.
Meanwhile, the WTT Contender Series will be held exclusively across the Middle East and European Hubs. This provides a platform for players to test their skills against some of the most renowned names in the international circuit.
Following the conclusion of these three hubs, the WTT schedule will take a short hiatus to make room for the Tokyo Olympic Games, which were pushed back. Once the Olympics are over, WTT intends to resume its activities with a slightly adjusted calendar.
The 2021 WTT lineup features several major competitions, including the Grand Smash, WTT Champions, WTT Cup Finals, and both the WTT Contender and Star Contender series. It's also worth noting that a promotional event in Macau was announced for November 25-29 of this year, marking the very first tournament held under the WTT banner.