Dubai: Table Tennis will be the flavour of the month throughout April in Dubai, with World Table Tennis Day on April 6 preceding the Dubai Table Tennis Asian Cup from April 28-30.
To mark the occasion, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), in association with Dubai Sports Council, the UAE Table Tennis Association and Ping Pong Dubai, will stage a number of events throughout the city.
Events will kick-off on April 1 with a World Table Tennis Day tournament at Al Wasl Club. The event will be contested in five categories; boys under-15, girls under-15, men’s, women’s and over-40s mixed. Entry is free and registration is open to all from 1-2pm, with play starting at 2pm.
A World Table Tennis Day Corporate Challenge will also be held in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Atrium on April 6. Entry is free and open to all. Registration will open at 6pm with knockouts in men’s and women’s singles starting at 6.30pm.
Free-to-play tables will also be available for all to enjoy in DIFC on April 6, in front of Caramel Restaurant from 11am to 6pm, as well as at Dubai Design District, D3, from 5pm to 8pm.
For those looking for more opportunities to hone their skills, free-to-play tables are also available at Ripe Market in Zabeel Park every Friday until April 21, excluding April 1.
Dubai Sports Council secretary general Saeed Hareb, said: “Dubai’s celebration of World Table Tennis Day is a fantastic opportunity for families and people of all ages to discover ping pong as a fun and social way to stay active.
“With a strong spotlight on table tennis in Dubai this April, we look forward to seeing participation in this already popular sport increase further and reach new members of the community,” he added.
Dawoud Al Hajri, President of UAE Table Tennis Association, said: “The UAE has a fast-growing and passionate table tennis community and we look forward to World Table Tennis Day as an opportunity to introduce even more people to the sport.
“With Dubai’s diverse and cosmopolitan community - more than 200 nationalities call the emirate home - we expect our World Table Tennis Day events to be among the most international in the world, with people from all walks of life coming together to enjoy this fantastic sport.”
For those who develop a taste for the sport, the Dubai Table Tennis Asian Cup offers the chance to watch some of the world’s leading players in action, including London 2012 gold medallist, Zhang Jike, and defending Asian Cup champion and World No.3 Xu Xin. The tournament is free to attend at Zabeel Hall 1 in the Dubai World Trade Centre from April 28-30. This will be the last major table tennis event before August’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
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