By Sagar V. Mankar The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has taken an exciting step into the world of virtual sports by launching its first Table Tennis Esports World Championships. The event will take place on November 27 and 28 in Helsingborg, Sweden, featuring eight skilled players competing in a virtual reality (VR) table tennis game.
Out of the eight competitors, two have earned their spots through an online qualifier, which saw participation from 212 players worldwide. The remaining six participants include the top two ranked players on Eleven Table Tennis, one player representing the host nation Sweden, and three wildcard entries. Notably, seven of the competitors are male, with one female player also vying for the title. Among the participants is Antonin “11FR_Anto” Landreau, who previously won the table tennis demonstration event at the Olympic Esports Week Singapore 2023.
This groundbreaking championship follows the success of the table tennis VR exhibition during the 2023 Olympic Esports Week in Singapore. The event highlighted the growing integration of esports into traditional sports frameworks, featuring VR games such as Taekwondo alongside table tennis.
Meet the Finalists
- André “L4mbo” Bylund (Sweden)
- Wladimir “11BRA_Wlad” Pimentel (Brazil)
- Sha “CHN_shayne115” Wenhao (China)
- Eva “emart_11” Martínez (Spain)
- Antonin “11FR_Anto” Landreau (France)
- Malk “Aiphaton” Reusner (Germany)
- Nicolas “Swiss11Rally” Champod (Switzerland) – Online qualifier
- Nathan “11FR-Natping” Denéchère (France) – Online qualifier
The finals will coincide with the ITTF World Youth Championships, hosted in the same venue from November 22 to 29. Matches on November 27 include quarterfinals starting at 5:15 pm local time. The semi-finals and finals will follow on November 28 from 3:45 pm.
How to Watch
Fans can catch the semi-finals and finals live on the Olympic Channel via Olympics.com on November 28, starting at 2:45 pm UTC.
This event marks a significant milestone in combining esports with traditional sports, showcasing the innovative spirit of the ITTF.
Sources: ITTF, Olympics.com.