French prodigy Antonin “Anto” Landreau has made history as the first-ever ITTF World Esports Table Tennis Champion. The 20-year-old defeated German contender Maik “Aiphaton” Reusner in an electrifying 3-1 match during the Final Stage of the tournament, held in Helsingborg, Sweden, on November 27-28.
Landreau’s victory adds another accolade to his impressive resume, which already includes two French Championships, a European Championship title, and a gold medal from the Olympic Esports Week Singapore 2023.
Swiss qualifier Nicolas “Swiss11Rally” Champod earned the bronze medal, rising from the bottom and competing against over 200 players in the Open Qualifier to become one of the top three players in the world.
A Milestone for Table Tennis and Esports
The ITTF’s first foray into Esports was nothing short of groundbreaking. Using the cutting-edge Eleven Table Tennis platform, the championship merged real-world skills with virtual reality technology, setting a new standard for digital sports.
From Online Qualifiers to the Grand Stage
The championship’s journey began with an open Online Qualifying Stage, drawing over 200 participants globally. This mixed-gender phase led to two qualifiers, determining the two players who would join six elite players in the Finals. Nicolas “Swiss11Rally” Champod from Switzerland and Nathan “11FR-Natping” Denéchère from France emerged as the winners of these Open qualifiers. André “L4mbo” Bylund secured a spot as the host representative from Sweden. Eva “emart_11” Martínez from Spain was the sole female representative among the finalists.
Here All 8 Finalists:
- Antonin “11FR_Anto” Landreau (France)
- Maik “Aiphaton” Reusner (Germany)
- Nicolas “Swiss11Rally” Champod (Switzerland)
- André “L4mbo” Bylund (Sweden)
- Wladimir “11BRA_Wlad” Pimentel (Brazil)
- Eva “emart_11” Martínez (Spain)
- Sha “CHN_shayne115” Wenhao (China)
- Nathan “11FR-Natping” Denéchère (France)
Shaping the Future of Esports
“This event demonstrates that Esports is not the future—it’s the present,” said ITTF President Petra Sörling. “The ITTF World Esports Table Tennis Championships showcased our sport’s potential to evolve digitally while preserving its core values. The competition and engagement we’ve seen here are only the beginning.”
IOC President Thomas Bach praised the initiative in a video message, emphasizing the importance of innovation in sports. He commended ITTF for using Esports to expand table tennis’ reach and connect with younger audiences while upholding Olympic values.
Beyond the Championship
The ITTF also hosted an Esports Summit alongside the Finals, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing among key industry players, including game developers, Esports organizations, and academic institutions. The summit explored the intersection of physical and digital sports, aiming to build a sustainable future for Esports within the table tennis community.
Source: ITTF
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