Qatar players eye strong performance

Qatar’s table tennis players are aiming for a strong performance at the upcoming World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025, set to take place from May 17 to 25 at Lusail Sports Arena and Qatar University halls.

The Qatari champions will compete across various categories: Sultan Khalid al-Kuwari and Mohammed Abdulwahhab in men’s singles; Aia Magdy and Maryam Ali in women’s singles; Mohammed Abdulwahhab, Abdullah Abdulwahhab, Sultan al-Kuwari, and Rawad Alnaser in men’s doubles; Aia Magdy and Maryam Ali in women’s doubles; and Mohammed Abdulwahhab, Aia Magdy, Ahmed Korani, and Maryam Ali in mixed doubles.

Qatar’s athletes have prepared for the Championships by participating in global, continental, and local tournaments, alongside both local and international training camps to reach their peak performance. The team’s extensive experience, gained from previous international competitions, positions them well to achieve impressive results. The World Championships draw has placed the Qatari players in tough matches in the early rounds. In men’s singles, Sultan Khalid al-Kuwari will meet Belgian Martin Allegro, ranked 82nd, while Mohammed Abdulwahhab will meet 108th-ranked New Zealand’s Alfred Dela Pena.

In women’s singles, Aia Magdy plays Cuba’s Rosalba Aguiar, ranked 185th, and Maryam Ali faces Chile’s Zhiying Zeng, ranked 165th. The men’s doubles team of Mohammed Abdulwahhab and Abdullah Abdulwahhab will compete against Cuba’s Andy Pereira and Jorge Campos.

In women’s doubles, Aia Magdy and Maryam Ali will face Germany’s Sabine Winter and Yuan Wan.

In mixed doubles, Mohammed Abdulwahhab and Aia Magdy will meet Thailand’s Thitaphat Preechayan and Kulapassr Vijitviriyagul, while Ahmed Korani and Maryam Ali will face Algeria’s Milhane Jellouli and Amina

Kessaci. The Championships will see the participation of 640 players, with 256 competing in singles, 256 in men’s and women’s doubles, and 128 in mixed doubles in 443 matches. The Qatar Table Tennis Association (ATTA) has provided full support for the athletes to ensure they represent Qatar with pride in this global event.

The players aim to capitalise on home-field advantage to deliver outstanding performances that match the event’s anticipated organisational success. Mohammed Abdulwahhab, a member of the Qatari team, said that the competition would be challenging but expressed his determination to go as far as possible in the tournament. He called on the fans for support and to help make the championship a success. He also expressed confidence that the event would be organised exceptionally well.

Aia Magdy shared similar sentiments, noting that while the competition would be tough, playing in Qatar was a great honour and motivation for each player to perform at their best.

Member of QTTA Board of Directors and Chairman of the National Teams Committee Thani al-Zarraa said that the players were fully prepared to represent Qatar honourably, stressing that the Association has provided full support to the players at all levels to ensure proper preparation for the Championships. He also expressed confidence in their ability to use their experiences to excel in the competition, noting that the players had achieved significant success in previous championships, even reaching semifinals and defeating top-ranked players.

Participating in the World Table Tennis Championships is seen as a golden opportunity for Qatari players to prove themselves among the world’s elite, despite the tough competition. The event is highly anticipated, with the expectation of a historic, world-class organisation. Qatar is the first Arab and GCC country to host the World Championships for the second time, having previously hosted it in 2004.