As Nigeria gears up for the World Table Tennis Contender Lagos 2024, anticipation is soaring for a spectacular display of table tennis prowess.
Set to take place from June 19-23 at the Sir Molade Okoya
Thomas Indoor Sports Hall, the event promises to showcase the best of both
local and international talents, captivating fans and spotlighting the nation’s
rising stars.
Nigeria stars, Muizz Adegoke and Abdulbasit Abdulfatai, lead
the charge as the nation’s representatives.
Both players, making their main draw debuts, are expected to
shine as they compete against top global talent.
Among the international stars, Manika Batra, fresh from her
historic run at the Saudi Smash 2024, headlines the Women’s Singles draw.
Joining her are fellow Indians Ayhika Mukherjee and Diya
Parag Chitale, alongside Jieni Shao and a host of other world-class athletes,
promising a week of thrilling table tennis action.
This retrieves on Sunday from a statement from the WTT
website issued on Saturday.
“WTT Contender Lagos 2024 is a little under two weeks away
from gripping the table tennis fandom in Nigeria, with play set to get underway
from 19 June, and excitement continues to build ahead of the five-day event
with Host Wildcards and WTT Nominations confirmed for Lagos.
“The headline name joining the Women’s Singles draw is
Manika Batra, who receives a Host Wildcard entry.
“Batra made history as the first Indian player to reach the
quarterfinals of a WTT Grand Smash event at last month’s Saudi Smash 2024, and
is expected to feature prominently in the Women’s Singles title race at her
first WTT Contender Lagos.
“Her fellow Indian compatriots Ayhika Mukherjee and Diya
Parag Chitale also join the Women’s Singles line-up as Host Wildcard entries,
while Jieni Shao also qualifies directly to the main draw as the WTT
Nomination,” it read.
Singles – Round of 16, 2024 Saudi Smash, Jeddah, King
Abdullah Sports City ,Saudi Arabia,1 May – 11 May 2024
According to the statement, “Over in the Men’s Singles draw,
Manush Utpalbhai Shah and Akash Pal have been named as Host Wildcards for the
event. Shah will be on a mission to pick up some points to make a move up the
global ladder.
“It’s been two years since the World No.179 has been inside
the Top 100 and a wildcard ticket could be just the thing to accelerate his
rise back up the ranks.
“Meanwhile for Pal it is a golden opportunity in Lagos, with
it being the 22-year-old’s first WTT Series showing outside of India.”
Eyes on Adegoke, Abdulfatai
It added that all eyes are on the Nigerian duo who will make
their debut into the global table tennis tourney.
“Nigerian attention will be fixed on Muizz Adegoke and
Abdulbasit Abdulfatai as the local up-and-comers take up positions in the main
draw as Host Wildcard and WTT Nomination entries respectively.
“Both players made their WTT Series debuts in the qualifying
rounds at last year’s WTT Contender Lagos 2023, and now get their first taste
of main draw action on the Series,” it read further.
Host wildcards have also been granted in Men’s Singles
Qualifying, with Yaroslav Zhmudenko and Mehdi Bouloussa prepped and ready. It’s
a second chance for the duo to make an impact in Lagos, after falling in the
round of 32 of in the 2023 edition of the event.
WTT Contender Lagos 2024 brings the WTT Series to Nigerian
shores from 19-23 June.
“Joining the WTT Series event calendar in 2023, this is the
second-ever WTT Contender event to be staged in Nigeria, hosting table tennis
talent from the world over for a week of high-octane action at Sir Molade Okoya
Thomas Indoor Sports Hall,” it concluded.