# World Table Tennis (ITTF)

World Table Tennis, stylized as WTT, is an organization created by the ITTF in 2019 that runs commercialized table tennis tournaments. Its inaugural tournament was held in November 2020 in Macao. It is distinguished from the predecessor ITTF World Tour by various rules changes and big prize money for commercialized purposes. The head of its council is Liu Guoliang, a former Olympic gold medalist and former head coach of China.

## Background

In 1926, the ITTF was founded by William Henry Lawes of Wymondham, England. The nine founding members were Austria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, Germany, Hungary, India, Sweden and Wales. The first international tournament was held in January 1926 in Berlin, and the first World Table Tennis Championships was held in December 1926 in London. It was the only event for over 50 years that was run and managed commercially by the ITTF.
In 1980, the ITTF World Cups was introduced, followed by the ITTF World Tour in 1996. Until 2003, commercial rights for these events were passed on to the local organising committees (LOC) but a different approach was taken to centralise rights through the creation of TMS. TMS was tasked to manage these rights on behalf of ITTF, until 2017 when ITTF decided to buy back the rights to be taken in house.
In 2018, professional consultants Deloitte and Withers were engaged to assist with remodelling the way that the ITTF does business. Through full models and financial understanding of our events and other worldwide properties, ITTF sought to understand the untapped commercial potential of table tennis. One key finding led to the idea of separation between the management of the professional and institutional structures of table tennis.
On 30 May 2019, ITTF announced the idea of World Table Tennis (WTT), a new commercial vehicle for table tennis. To launch WTT, the ITTF executive committee appointed a selection panel. The panel included ITTF President Thomas Weikert, ITTF Deputy President Khalil Al-Mohannadi, ITTF Executive Vice President for Finance Petra Sorling, ITTF CEO Steve Dainton, and ITTF Marketing Director Matthew Pound.

### Recent hires

WTT also announced the hire of Philippe Le Floc’h, former Chief Commercial Officer at FIFA and marketing director at UEFA, as Senior Commercial Strategy Consultant, in line with WTT's aim to commercialise the sport. Shortly afterwards, Stephen Duckitt, who had 15 years of sports management experience, primarily with WTA and ATP, was announced as WTT Event Strategy Director.
On 29 June 2020, WTT announced that China Table Tennis Association President, Liu Guoliang had accepted the role as Chair of the WTT Council. The WTT Council is tasked to ensure the healthy development of WTT and to be at the helm of the future development of table tennis. WTT Macao was announced on 11 September 2020 to be held between 25 and 29 November 2020. The debut event was a promotional showcase featuring 16 of the world's best male and 16 of the world's best female players. The event implemented a brand new format with innovative scoring methods. It also featured a prize purse of US$800,000 with players paid a minimum of US$15,000, and earning more prize money per match they win.
Next to join was Melissa Soobratty. Announced on 4 December 2020, the former vice president, Media at Football Marketing Asia joined as WTT Senior Media Director to oversee all areas related to content, to further professionalise the organisation's expanding media operations.

## WTT event structure

| Tournaments | Tournaments | 2019−present | 2019−present | 2019−present |
| Tiers | I | Grand Smash | Grand Smash | Grand Smash |
| Tiers | II | WTT Series | WTT Finals (WTT Cup Finals) | WTT Finals (WTT Cup Finals) |
| Tiers | III | WTT Series | WTT Champions (WTT Champion Series) | WTT Champions (WTT Champion Series) |
| Tiers | IV | WTT Series | WTT Contender Series | WTT Star Contenders |
| Tiers | V | WTT Series | WTT Contender Series | WTT Contenders |

### Grand Smash

The Grand Smashes will become the pillars of the sport and the most important events in the table tennis calendar. The events will feature both Men's and Women's singles draws with more players now receiving automatic entry into events. There will be fewer seeded players and a separate qualifying draw to ensure that the excitement kicks off right from the start. Doubles and Mixed Doubles events will also be played during the Grand Smashes.
Dates: Fixed dates on the annual WTT Calendar
Players: 64 Men's & Women's Singles, Doubles & Mixed doubles draw
Length of event: 10 Days + Qualification
Prize Pool: Up to US$3 million
Number of events: Up to 4
Singapore Smash :
| Year | Men's singles | Women's singles | Men's doubles | Women's doubles | Mixed doubles |
| 2022 | Fan Zhendong | Chen Meng | Fan Zhendong Wang Chuqin | Wang Manyu Sun Yingsha | Wang Chuqin Sun Yingsha |
| 2023 | Fan Zhendong | Sun Yingsha | Fan Zhendong Wang Chuqin | Wang Manyu Sun Yingsha | Wang Chuqin Sun Yingsha |
| 2024 | Wang Chuqin | Wang Manyu | Ma Long Lin Gaoyuan | Chen Meng Wang Manyu | Wang Chuqin Sun Yingsha |
| 2025 | Lin Shidong | Sun Yingsha | Wang Chuqin Lin Shidong | Wang Manyu Kuai Man | Lin Shidong Kuai Man |
Saudi Smash :
| Year | Men's singles | Women's singles | Men's doubles | Women's doubles | Mixed doubles |
| 2024 | Wang Chuqin | Chen Meng | Ma Long Wang Chuqin | Chen Meng Wang Manyu | Wang Chuqin Sun Yingsha |
China Smash :
| Year | Men's singles | Women's singles | Men's doubles | Women's doubles | Mixed doubles |
| 2024 | Lin Shidong | Sun Yingsha | Liang Jingkun Wang Chuqin | Qian Tianyi Chen Xingtong | Lin Shidong Kuai Man |
| 2025 | | | | | |
United States Smash :
| Year | Men's singles | Women's singles | Men's doubles | Women's doubles | Mixed doubles |
| 2025 | | | | | |
Europe Smash - Sweden :
| Year | Men's singles | Women's singles | Men's doubles | Women's doubles | Mixed doubles |
| 2025 | | | | | |

### WTT Series

The WTT Series will serve as the platform for all professional players to compete internationally. The series is split up into 3 tiers to give the athletes adequate playing opportunities: Cup Finals, Champion Series and the Contender Series. WTT aims to hold these events in unique venues around the world that include theatres, bars, clubs, stadiums and more to create a unique, interesting and intimate opportunity for fans to interact with the athletes.

#### WTT Finals

The WTT Finals are split into Men's and Women's events that will be held separately. The top 16 players of the year will qualify for this year-end event together with the best 8 pairs. Qualification will be determined by the player's performance throughout the WTT season and reflected through their Table Tennis World Ranking.
The first two editions of WTT Finals (2021 and 2022) was known as WTT Cup Finals. WTT stated that the winners of the WTT Cup Finals would win the prestigious ITTF World Cup trophies in March 2021, but the winners have been actually presented with WTT Finals specific trophies since the inaugural edition.
Players: 16 in Men's & Women's Singles, Top 8 pair in doubles
Length of event: 5 days
Prize Pool: Up to US$1.5million each
Number of events: 2
| Year | Host city | Men's singles | Women's singles | Men's doubles | Women's doubles |
| 2021 | Singapore | Fan Zhendong | Sun Yingsha | not held | not held |
| 2022 | Xinxiang, China | Wang Chuqin | Sun Yingsha | not held | not held |
| 2023 | Doha, Qatar (men) Nagoya, Japan (women) | Wang Chuqin | Sun Yingsha | Xiang Peng Yuan Licen | Wang Manyu Sun Yingsha |
| 2024 | Fukuoka, Japan | Wang Chuqin | Wang Manyu | Alexis Lebrun Félix Lebrun | Honoka Hashimoto Hitomi Sato |

#### WTT Champions

The WTT Champion Series is exclusive to the top 32 men and women in the world. Four separate men's and women's event will be held with up to US$5million up for grabs. The matches will be played on one table to ensure that the best TV production and best entertainment is presented to fans.
Players: 32 Men's & Women's Singles
Length of event: 6 days
Prize Pool: Up to US$5million
Number of events: 4 men & 4 women
| Tour | Host city | Men's singles | Women's singles |
| 2022 ||||
| WTT Champions European Summer Series | Budapest, Hungary | Tomokazu Harimoto | Wang Manyu |
| WTT Champions Macao | Macau | Wang Chuqin | Sun Yingsha |
| 2023 ||||
| WTT Champions Xinxiang | Xinxiang, China | Fan Zhendong | Sun Yingsha |
| WTT Champions Macao | Macau | Wang Chuqin | Wang Manyu |
| WTT Champions Frankfurt | Frankfurt, Germany | Lin Yun-ju | Wang Yidi |
| 2024 ||||
| WTT Champions Incheon | Incheon, South Korea | Liang Jingkun | Sun Yingsha |
| WTT Champions Chongqing | Chongqing, China | Fan Zhendong | Sun Yingsha |
| WTT Champions Macao | Macau | Lin Shidong | Sun Yingsha |
| WTT Champions Montpellier | Montpellier, France | Félix Lebrun | Satsuki Odo |
| WTT Champions Frankfurt | Frankfurt, Germany | Lin Shidong | Wang Manyu |
| 2025 ||||
| WTT Champions Chongqing | Chongqing, China | Wang Chuqin | Sun Yingsha |
| WTT Champions Incheon | Incheon, South Korea | | |
| WTT Champions Yokohama | Yokohama, Japan | | |
| WTT Champions Macao | Macau | | |
| WTT Champions Montpellier | Montpellier, France | | |
| WTT Champions Frankfurt | Frankfurt, Germany | | |

#### WTT Star Contenders

WTT Star Contenders will consist of 6 events throughout the year featuring 48 men and 48 women. These events will serve as the platform for the next best in the world to earn ranking points to make the step up into the WTT Champions Series.
Players: 48 Men's & Women's Singles
Length of event: 6 days + Qualification
Number of events: 6
| Tour | Host city | Men's singles | Women's singles | Men's doubles | Women's doubles | Mixed doubles |
| 2021 |||||||
| WTT Star Contender Doha I | Doha, Qatar | Tomokazu Harimoto | Mima Ito | Lee Sang-su Jeoung Young-sik | Shin Yu-bin Jeon Ji-hee | Cheng I-ching Lin Yun-ju |
| WTT Star Contender Doha II | Doha, Qatar | Hugo Calderano | Hina Hayata | An Jae-hyun Cho Seung-min | Miyu Nagasaki Minami Ando | Shunsuke Togami Hina Hayata |
| 2022 |||||||
| WTT Star Contender Doha | Doha, Qatar | Andrej Gacina | Miyuu Kihara | Benedikt Duda Dang Qiu | Miyuu Kihara Miyu Nagasaki | Emmanuel Lebesson Jia Nan Yuan |
| WTT Star Contender European Summer Series | Budapest, Hungary | Wang Chuqin | Wang Yidi | Cho Dae-seong Lee Sang-su | Sun Yingsha Wang Manyu | Wang Chuqin Wang Manyu |
| 2023 |||||||
| WTT Star Contender Goa | Goa, India | Liang Jingkun | Wang Yidi | An Jae-hyun Cho Seung-min | Miyu Nagasaki Miwa Harimoto | Jang Woo-jin Jeon Ji-hee |
| WTT Star Contender Bangkok | Bangkok, Thailand | Lin Gaoyuan | Chen Xingtong | Lin Gaoyuan Lin Shidong | Chen Xingtong Kuai Man | Lin Gaoyuan Chen Xingtong |
| WTT Star Contender Ljubljana | Ljubljana, Slovenia | Fan Zhendong | Sun Yingsha | Lin Shidong Xiang Peng | Wang Yidi Kuai Man | Wang Chuqin Sun Yingsha |
| WTT Star Contender Lanzhou | Lanzhou, China | Wang Chuqin | Sun Yingsha | Alexis Lebrun Félix Lebrun | Chen Meng Wang Manyu | Lin Shidong Kuai Man |
| 2024 |||||||
| WTT Star Contender Doha | Doha, Qatar | Wang Chuqin | Sun Yingsha | Liang Jingkun Yuan Licen | Chen Xingtong Qian Tianyi | Wang Chuqin Sun Yingsha |
| WTT Star Contender Goa | Goa, India | Félix Lebrun | Cheng I-ching | Lim Jong-hoon An Jae-hyun | Shin Yu-bin Jeon Ji-hee | Lim Jong-hoon Shin Yu-bin |
| WTT Star Contender Ljubljana | Ljubljana, Slovenia | Hugo Calderano | Hina Hayata | Anton Källberg Kristian Karlsson | Miyuu Kihara Miyu Nagasaki | Tomokazu Harimoto Hina Hayata |
| WTT Star Contender Bangkok | Bangkok, Thailand | Tomokazu Harimoto | Mima Ito | Tomokazu Harimoto Sora Matsushima | Honoka Hashimoto Hitomi Sato | Tomokazu Harimoto Hina Hayata |
| 2025 |||||||
| WTT Star Contender Doha | Doha, Qatar | Tomokazu Harimoto | Kuai Man | Xu Yingbin Xiang Peng | Satsuki Odo Sakura Yokoi | Sora Matsushima Miwa Harimoto |

#### WTT Contenders

Then the final tier, the WTT Contenders, allows the rest of the professional players throughout the world rankings to develop their talents in up to 14 events per year, each one lasting for four days.
Players: Flexible playing system
Length of event: Flexible playing system
Number of events: Up to 14 events
| Tour | Host city | Men's singles | Women's singles | Men's doubles | Women's doubles | Mixed doubles |
| 2023 |||||||
| WTT Contender Durban | Durban, South Africa | Hugo Calderano | Qian Tianyi | Chen Yuanyu Lin Shidong | Zhang Rui Kuai Man | Lin Shidong Kuai Man |
| WTT Contender Doha | Doha, Qatar | Hugo Calderano | Fan Siqi | Yu Ziyang Zhou Kai | Zhang Rui Kuai Man | Lin Shidong Kuai Man |
| WTT Contender Amman | Amman, Jordan | Lin Shidong | Mima Ito | Liu Yebo Xu Yingbin | Cheng I-ching Li Yu-jhun | Lin Shidong Kuai Man |
| WTT Contender Lagos | Lagos, Nigeria | Zhou Qihao | Shin Yu-bin | Jang Woo-jin Lim Jong-hoon | Jeon Ji-hee Shin Yu-bin | Xiang Peng Liu Weishan |
| WTT Contender Tunis | Tunis, Tunisia | Anton Kallberg | Miwa Harimoto | Jang Woo-jin Park Gang-hyeon | Sutirtha Mukherjee Ayhika Mukherjee | Lin Yun-ju Chen Szu-yu |
| WTT Contender Zagreb | Zagreb, Croatia | Lin Gaoyuan | Miu Hirano | Lin Shidong Yuan Licen | Jeon Ji-hee Shin Yu-bin | Wang Chuqin Sun Yingsha |
| WTT Contender Lima | Lima, Peru | Marcos Freitas | Shin Yu-bin | Mizuki Oikawa Sora Matsushima | Jeon Ji-hee Shin Yu-bin | Álvaro Robles María Xiao |
| WTT Contender Rio de Janeiro | Rio, Brazil | Mattias Falck | Hina Hayata | An Jae-hyun Lim Jong-hoon | Jeon Ji-hee Shin Yu-bin | Lim Jong-hoon Shin Yu-bin |
| WTT Contender Almaty | Almaty, Kazakhstan | Lin Yun-ju | Kuai Man | Lin Shidong Xu Yingbin | Chen Yi Kuai Man | Cho Dae-seong Joo Cheon-hui |
| WTT Contender Muscat | Muscat, Oman | Hugo Calderano | Hina Hayata | Patrick Franziska Dimitrij Ovtcharov | Ng Wing Lam Zhu Chengzhu | Lin Yun-ju Chen Szu-yu |
| WTT Contender Antalya | Antalya, Turkey | Félix Lebrun | Hina Hayata | Lim Jong-hoon An Jae-hyun | Orawan Paranang Suthasini Sawettabut | Tomokazu Harimoto Hina Hayata |
| WTT Contender Taiyuan | Taiyuan, China | Liang Jingkun | Wang Manyu | Lin Gaoyuan Lin Shidong | Chen Xingtong Qian Tianyi | Lin Shidong Kuai Man |
| 2024 |||||||
| WTT Contender Doha | Doha, Qatar | Timo Boll | Jeon Ji-hee | Lim Jong-hoon Lee Sang-su | Jeon Ji-hee Shin Yu-bin | Wang Chuqin Sun Yingsha |
| WTT Contender Taiyuan | Taiyuan, China | Liang Jingkun | Chen Xingtong | Ma Long Lin Gaoyuan | Chen Yi Kuai Man | Lin Shidong Kuai Man |
| WTT Contender Rio de Janeiro | Rio, Brazil | Hugo Calderano | Miyu Nagasaki | An Jae-hyun Oh Jun-sung | Honoka Hashimoto Hitomi Sato | Lim Jong-hoon Shin Yu-bin |
| WTT Contender Mendoza | Mendoza, Argentina | Benedikt Duda | Sakura Mori | Horacio Cifuentes Santiago Lorenzo | Sakura Mori Miyu Nagasaki | Yuta Tanaka Miyu Nagasaki |
| WTT Contender Zagreb | Zagreb, Croatia | Alexis Lebrun | Hina Hayata | Alexis Lebrun Simon Gauzy | Sakura Yokoi Satsuki Odo | Tomokazu Harimoto Hina Hayata |
| WTT Contender Lagos | Lagos, Nigeria | Dimitrij Ovtcharov | Sreeja Akula | Harmeet Desai Manav Thakkar | Sreeja Akula Archana Kamath | Lim Jong-hoon Shin Yu-bin |
| WTT Contender Tunis | Tunis, Tunisia | Tomokazu Harimoto | Miwa Harimoto | Sora Matsushima Tomokazu Harimoto | Satsuki Odo Sakura Yokoi | Tomokazu Harimoto Hina Hayata |
| WTT Contender Lima | Lima, Peru | Darko Jorgic | Satsuki Odo | Florian Bourrassaud Esteban Dorr | Satsuki Odo Sakura Yokoi | Henrique Noguti Giulia Takahashi |
| WTT Contender Almaty | Almaty, Kazakhstan | Lin Shidong | Shi Xunyao | Lin Shidong Xu Yinbing | He Zhuojia Liu Weishan | Lin Shidong Kuai Man |
| WTT Contender Muscat | Muscat, Oman | Lin Shidong | Kuai Man | Yuan Licen Xiang Peng | Yang Yiyun Zhu Sibing | Lin Shidong Kuai Man |
| 2025 |||||||
| WTT Contender Muscat | Muscat, Oman | Chen Yuanyu | Shi Xunyao | Tomokazu Harimoto Sora Matsushima | Satsuki Odo Sakura Yokoi | Álvaro Robles Maria Xiao |

## Results Links

* https://tt-wiki.info/wttv-ranglistenturniere/
* https://tt-wiki.info/world-tour-grand-finals/
* https://tt-wiki.info/world-tour-turniere/
* https://tt-wiki.info/grand-smashes/
* https://tt-wiki.info/wtt-cup-finals/
* https://tt-wiki.info/wtt-champions/
* https://tt-wiki.info/wtt-star-contenders/
* https://tt-wiki.info/wtt-contenders/
* https://tt-wiki.info/wtt-feeders/