Doha, May 17 (QNA) - The opening ceremony of the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025, held at Lusail Sports Arena on Saturday, received widespread praise for excellence, both in terms of its organization and the cultural segments it featured.

Advisor to the director general of the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 Abdullah Youssef Al Mulla expressed his happiness with the great success of the opening ceremony, stressing that the main goal was to organize an exceptional edition worthy of Qatar’s status as a global sports capital.

He expressed pride in this exciting launch, which reflects the event's organizing team and partners' efforts to achieve the highest levels of success, adding that the tournament presents a new opportunity to highlight Qatar’s ability to host major international events efficiently and professionally.

In turn, Qatar Table Tennis Association Secretary-General and head of the event's operations committee, Mohammed Abdullah Saleh said that the opening ceremony's remarkable success is a direct reflection of the strong support and continuous attention that sports in Qatar continue to receive.

Saleh added the organizers are working tirelessly to deliver an exceptional edition that builds on Qatar’s impressive record in hosting major global sporting events on all levels.

He said that this international event reaffirms the State of Qatar’s prestigious position as a leading sporting hub, and hoped that this tournament turns out to be a historic success.

For his part, Hungarian Table Tennis Association President Imre Kovacsics expressed his admiration for the opening ceremony, describing it as simple yet impressive.

Kovacsics added that the State of Qatar always stands out in organizing sporting events and showcases them in the best possible way.

The President of the Hungarian Table Tennis Association said that the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships hold great importance for the ITTF and all participants, expecting strong competitions ahead and hoping that the Championships excel technically just as they do organizationally.

Saudi national table tennis team player Abdulaziz Al Abbad also expressed his strong admiration for the opening ceremony, calling it perfect and impressive, adding that this is to be expected from Qatar, given that it consistently excels in organizing major sporting events in a remarkable way.

The State of Qatar is the first country in the Middle East, the Arab world, and the Arabian Gulf to successfully host the World Table Tennis Championship twice, having previously hosted it in 2004. (QNA)