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WTT Increases 2025 Contender Lagos Prize Money

Fola Badmus2 months ago2 months ago03 mins

The management of the WTT Series has announced a significant increase in the prize pool for the 2025 WTT Contender Lagos tournament, raising the total purse from $75,000 (₦115 million) to $100,000 (₦153 million). This 33% boost is aimed at enhancing player rewards and promoting global competitiveness. In addition to the increased financial incentives, players will also gain enhanced world ranking points for their performances. The tournament is scheduled to take place from July 22 to 26 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, located within the Teslim Balogun Stadium. This development aligns with WTT’s broader commitment to improving player welfare and ensuring that athletes are adequately compensated for their efforts. Winners of the singles events will receive $5,000 (₦7.6 million) and 400 ranking points. From the main draw onwards, all players in the singles category will be entitled to both financial rewards and ranking points. In the doubles and mixed doubles categories, winners will each receive $2,500 (₦3.8 million) and 400 ranking points. Participants who reach the round of 16 in these events will also earn prize money and ranking points. Tournament Director Kweku Tandoh emphasized the importance of prioritizing players: “We are fully aware of the sacrifices players make to participate in WTT events. This over-30% increase in prize money is a deliberate effort by WTT management to reward their dedication. At WTT, player welfare remains a top priority, and Lagos is committed to upholding that standard.” He added, “WTT Contender Lagos has become one of the most dynamic and widely publicized events in the WTT Series. Thanks to strong support from Lagos State and an enthusiastic fan base, it has earned a reputation as Nigeria’s best-organized and most well-attended international sporting event. The Local Organising Committee (LOC) is working tirelessly to raise the bar even higher and ensure this year’s edition rivals the best WTT tournaments globally.” The 2025 edition promises to deliver world-class table tennis action, with top-ranked players from around the globe competing in what has become a flagship event on the African sporting calendar.

Aruna, Goda Join Star-Studded Cast at WTT Star Contender in Slovenia

Fola Badmus3 months ago3 months ago03 mins

Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna and Egypt’s Hana Goda are among the elite players set to compete at the WTT Star Contender Ljubljana 2025, taking place in Slovenia. The WTT Star Contender Ljubljana 2025 boasts a prize pool of $300,000 and offers valuable ITTF Table Tennis World Ranking points. The singles champions will receive $17,000 and 600 points, while the doubles champions will take home $5,500 and 600 points. This highly anticipated event, hosted at Hala Tivoli in Ljubljana, has attracted a star-studded lineup of table tennis greats. Aruna, currently ranked 24th in the world and the highest-ranked African player, is seeded No. 14 in the men’s singles and has received a bye into the second round (last 32). He is expected to face the winner between Japan’s Shunsuke Togami and China’s Xu Haidong on Friday, June 20. Similarly, Goda, seeded No. 15 in the women’s singles, also received a bye into the second round. She is set to face the winner between Japan’s Sakura Yokoi and South Korea’s Joo Cheonhui. Some of the world’s best players will battle it out over five events in what promises to be a week-long table tennis spectacle. Leading the charge in the men’s singles is Brazilian star and 2025 World Championships runner-up, Hugo Calderano. Known as the “Thrill from Brazil,” Calderano returns to Slovenia with bold ambition, looking to defend his title from last year’s triumph. Joining him are global heavyweights including Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, winner of the Men’s Singles title at WTT Star Contender Doha 2025; Felix Lebrun, champion at WTT Champions Montpellier 2024; and Slovenian home favourite Darko Jorgic. In the women’s singles, Japan’s Miwa Harimoto headlines the field after claiming the title at WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025. Her compatriot Hina Hayata is also back to defend her title from last year’s Ljubljana tournament. Other strong contenders include South Korea’s Shin Yubin, seeking her first WTT Star Contender title, as well as Romania’s Bernadette Szocs and China’s Qian Tianyi, both of whom are expected to make deep runs in the competition.