By Stupa Sports Analytics and Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) are proud to announce a strategic collaboration for the upcoming WTT Star Contender, slated to take place in Goa from January 23 to 28, 2024.
The Star Contender was first brought to India by Stupa Sports Analytics, a leading homegrown global sports analytics firm. As one of the most prestigious events in the international table tennis calendar, WTT Star Contender Goa took place earlier this year and had some of the world’s biggest stars on show, including the World No. 1 Fan Zhendong, Japanese prodigy Tomokazu Harimoto, World No. 4 Wang Yidi, and World No. 5 Hina Hayata, descending to Goa for the inaugural edition. Besides that, the tournament also saw participation of 40 Indian players which was the highest for a WTT event.
The partnership with Stupa Sports Analytics marks a significant milestone in UTT’s journey, promising to elevate the WTT Star Contender to new heights and solidify its status as a sporting landmark in India. This collaborative effort is set to transcend geographical boundaries, bringing together players from around the world for a week-long celebration of table tennis excellence.
“The first edition of WTT Star Contender Goa was a great success. Table tennis is still at a nascent stage in India and tournaments like this not only show sport’s potential commercially but also encourage its overall growth,” Stupa Sports Analytics CEO and Co-founder Megha Gambhir commented.
As for UTT, it has consistently aimed at establishing a world-class league and providing a dynamic platform that unites players and fans, both in India and globally. With a vision to create unprecedented milestones for the sport, UTT has been instrumental in fostering a vibrant community around table tennis.
“This collaboration signifies a commitment to fostering international camaraderie in table tennis and encouraging the passionate community of players and fans to unite in India like never before. The WTT Star Contender Goa is poised to be a global showcase of talent, skill, and competition,” UTT co-promoter Vita Dani said.
The high-profile tournament is part of the six-star Contender series events where only the top 30 players are eligible to participate, with six players compulsory from the top 20 in the world rankings. The tournament boasts a massive prize pool of $250,000 and allows players to win ranking points and qualify for the WTT Cup Finals and WTT Champions Series.
The tournament will be co-hosted by Stupa Sports Analytics and Ultimate Table Tennis under the guidance of Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI).
“Playing against world-class players or watching them from a close quarter always inspires the younger generation. This tournament is a great opportunity for our Indian players. We, at TTFI, extend full support to Stupa Sports Analytics and Ultimate Table Tennis to make the second edition a grand success,” Kamlesh Mehta, Secretary General of the TTFI stated.
World Table Tennis (WTT), conceptualised by the International Table Tennis Federation in 2019, serves as the epicentre for professional men’s and women’s table tennis events globally. The series encompasses a multitude of events throughout the year, with the four Grand Smashes standing out as the highest-ranked tournaments.China’s Liang Jingkun and Yidi had won men’s and women’s singles titles respectively in the inaugural edition of the tournament.
