Table tennis: Defending champions Chen Meng and Fan Zhendong as part of Spore Smash 2023 top line-up

SINGAPORE The world’s top 10 table tennis players in both men’s and women’s singles will be at the OCBC Arena for the Singapore Smash from 7-19. March, organizers announced Wednesday.

Among them are defending champion, men’s world number one Fan Zhendong and women’s runner-up Chen Meng.

Women’s world number one Sun Yingsha of China and fan favorites Hina Hayata (No. 5) and Mima Ito (No. 6) of Japan will also compete in the US$2 million (S$2.65 million) World Table Tennis event. Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico in 13th place and Sofia Polcanova of Austria in 14th place.

World No. 2 Ma Long, who reached the 2022 finals in men’s singles, will aim for a better No. 1 ranking while fending off third-ranked compatriot Wang Chuqin, Japanese prodigy Tomokazu Harimoto (No. 4) and the Brazilian world. No. 5 Hugo Calderano.

Sixth-placed Swede Truls Moregard, German legend Timo Boll and Englishman Liam Pitchford are also returning.

In 2022, Olympic gold medalist Chen defeated her compatriot Wang Manyu after a hard-fought battle lasting almost an hour to win the women’s singles title.

Fan knocked out Ma in a dramatic seven-game match to win the men’s crown.

Chen said: The field is very strong and I expect the competition to be tough, but this is what we are training for and it is a good opportunity for us to put this training into practice.

We are all tested physically and mentally. But I’m up for the challenge and ready to give the fans a good show to defend my title, so I hope they enjoy us playing as well.

Singapore will be represented in the main draw starting on March 11 by women’s singles players Zeng Jian (No. 55) and wild cards Zhou Jingyi and Wong Xin Ru.

In the men’s singles, Olympian Clarence Chew and 2019 SEA Games champion Koen Pang will carry the Republic’s flag. The qualifiers will be played on the 7th-9th. March.

Viewers will also be able to see some of the sport’s most exciting talent, including Egyptian teenager Hana Goda, who won the ITTF-Africa Cup in May 2022 to become the youngest ever Continental Cup winner at the age of 14 years and 167 days.

Joining her in the women’s competition is 18-year-old Shin Yu-bin, who became South Korea’s youngest-ever table tennis player at the 2020 Olympics.

Stephen Duckitt, WTT’s director of event strategy, previously revealed that the main draw for the latest series was limited to 11,000 due to stricter Covid-19 protocols. The target for this edition is 50,000.

With restrictions lifted this time around, ticket holders can enjoy live entertainment and player participation opportunities at Singapore Smash Park, as well as food and beverage options.

The designated Singapore Smash Zone at OCBC Square also gives Sports Hub visitors the chance to play sports.

Tickets 7–9 for the March qualifying rounds start at $18, while the 11th-19th tickets for the main draw in March are $28. They are available at https://ticketmaster.sg/activity/detail/23_sgsmash2023.