Doha, April 30 (QNA) - The draw for the Qatar 2025 World Table Tennis Championships was held today.

The tournament will begin on May 17 and will run until May 25, with the participation of 640 players. A total of 256 players in the singles competitions, and 256 in the doubles, and 128 in the mixed doubles for a total of 443 matches.

The draw's ceremony was attended by HE Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, Khalil Al Mohannadi, who serves as President of the Qatari, Arab, and Asian Table Tennis Federations and First Vice President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), and CEO of ITTF Steve Dainton, along with a number of officials and guests.

Participating in the draw process were Qatari international referee Hassan Al Omari, who serves as Deputy Chair of the ITTF Umpires Committee and the tournament's chief referee, Qatar national team player Mohamed Abdulwahab, women's national team player Aya Mohamed, promising youth player Sultan Al Kuwari, junior national team player Maryam Al Ali, and Swedish legend and Qatar national team coach Peter Karlsson.

The draw process began with the five event categories: men's and women's singles and doubles, and mixed doubles.

The top 32 ranked players in singles were placed directly into the main draw to avoid the preliminary rounds.

The remaining 96 players were randomly drawn to compete in the first rounds, bringing the total number of singles competitors to 128.

In the doubles competition, the draw included 16 pairs based on their world rankings. The remaining 48 pairs will compete in the early rounds, totaling 64 pairs overall.

All singles matches will be played in a best-of-7 format to determine the winner of each match, while doubles matches will be played in a best-of-5 format. 

Khalil Al Mohannadi, who serves as President of the Qatar Table Tennis Association, head of the Arab and Asian federations, and first vice-president of the ITTF, said he was delighted with how smoothly the World Championships draw ceremony had gone.

Speaking to the press, he noted that Qatar is preparing a truly exceptional edition of the World Championships, one he believes will rank among the finest in the sport’s history.

On the country’s preparations, Al Mohannadi said that they are on track, with only the final installations remaining in the Lusail and Qatar University halls, which will be completed within three days.

He stressed that everything will be in place by May 10 and official team delegations will start arriving on May 11.

Regarding the upcoming ITTF General Assembly on May 27, he said that a record turnout is expected, with representatives from more than 200 national associations set to elect a new ITTF president.

The organizing committee also revealed that, for the first time, competition tables will feature the maroon colour, symbolic of Qatar.

Al Mohannadi pointed out that tables have been black, green, or blue for 99 years; starting with this World Championships, maroon will become a new standard for future events.

CEO of ITTF Steve Dainton praised the draw, describing the open-air ceremony as impressive and extending thanks to Al Mohannadi, the Qatari federation, and the organizing committee for their outstanding work.

He invited fans to come to Qatar in roughly two weeks to enjoy what he expects will be highly competitive matches, noting that ticket demand has been so strong that additional seats may be released.

ITTF Events Director Mounir Bessah commended the decision to stage the draw in a public venue, calling it a clever idea that successfully engaged fans.

He said at least 7,000 spectators are expected in Lusail Arena each day, with all opening and closing-ceremony tickets already sold out—clear evidence that this edition will be popular and distinctive.

Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, who serves as chair of the tournament operations committee, expressed his satisfaction with the ceremony, said today was the perfect start.

He said thousands watched the draw live on various platforms and highlighted Qatar’s pride in hosting the World Championships for a second time after 21 years, tp become the first country in the Middle East or Africa to do so. 

He noted that the organizing team has worked tirelessly and is eager to welcome the world’s top players and large contingents of fans, particularly from China, South Korea, and Japan. Dr Saleh concluded by thanking the Qatar Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Sports and Youth, local sponsors, and all partners for helping to ensure the event’s success. (QNA)