September 30: Celebrate Table Tennis with Chengdu

The 2022 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals Chengdu (hereinafter referred to as “World Team Table Tennis Championships”) will be held in the western Chinese city of Chengdu on September 30, 2022.

According to the Organising Committee of 2022 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals Chengdu, the slogan of this tournament “Celebrate Table Tennis With Chengdu” not only highlights the passion for table tennis in Chengdu, but also expresses the aspirations of the International Table Tennis Federation to enhance in-depth exchanges with the city.

Chengdu has forged strong ties with world table tennis competitions. In step with the positioning of Chengdu into a world-famous city for sport competition, important events such as China Open and ITTF Women’s World Cup have already been hosted successively by the city. This upcoming World Team Table Tennis Championships will unequivocally be remembered as another milestone event in Chengdu.

The tournament will be held from September 30 to October 9 at the Chengdu High-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium, and this multi-functional gymnasium completed just last year will usher in its first international sports event. ITTF President Petra Sorling said, “The most distinguished players in the world will converge in Chengdu, which is both exhilarating and hard-earned.”

To Liu Guoliang, Executive Vice President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), Director and Chairman of World Table Tennis (WTT) Council and President of the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA), Chengdu is not only an acclaimed sports city, it is also a metropolis that merits appreciation and exploration. He said, “Chengdu is a charming, vogue city that is full of vibrancy, and one that has garnered the endearments of the Chinese people. With the presence of the world’s top athletes here, table tennis will no doubt become a new calling card of this time-honored city. Friends from all over the world who descend on Chengdu can experience the delicious cuisine, enchanting scenery and warm hospitality that the city offers.”

China has previously hosted five World Table Tennis Championships, and this upcoming tournament marks the first time that the event has come to a city in West China. Thus, it is with utmost enthusiasm that the exuberant and hospitable Chengdu welcomes the world’s most esteemed table tennis athletes. Sun Yingsha, Chen Meng, Wang Manyu, Wang Yidi and Chen Xingtong will comprise the Chinese women’s table tennis team, while the star-studded lineup of the Chinese men’s table tennis team will consist of Fan Zhendong, Ma Long, Liang Jingkun, Wang Chuqin and Lin Gaoyuan. Members of both teams are eager to win the Swaythling Cup and the Corbillon Cup for the 22nd time.

As a world-renowned city of gastronomy, Chengdu is particularly appealing to Fan Zhendong, the celebrated table tennis athlete who is also described as a foodie. He laughed and said, “After the tournament, I really hope I get the chance to enjoy the wide range of delicious foods that Chengdu is so well-known for.”

But flavorful and delightful food is by no means the only thing worth savoring in Chengdu. Accompanying the hosting of major international sports events such as the World Table Tennis Championships and World University Games, the city’s environment for fitness and exercise has been endowed with a strengthened foundation conducive to further growth. The city of Chengdu is vigorously radiating the vitality of sports with a multitude of new sports arenas and spaces including all kinds of gymnasiums, greenways, parks and community sport corners. In 2021, the total number of citizens regularly participating in physical exercises in Chengdu reached nine million. Large sports venues such as Dong’an Lake Sports Park and Fenghuangshan Sports Park constitute the “landmarks” shared among citizens.

At present, Chengdu is home to over 59,000 sports venues of various sorts, and citizens can get into the full swing of health and fitness with just a few steps. The fervent rise in popularity of a variety of sports including table tennis, basketball, tennis, ice hockey, three-on-three football, skateboarding, frisbee have enhanced Chengdu’s urban sport atmosphere, consequently enabling the city to rank first in the evaluation of public sports service quality in China.

The fact that the design of the medals of this tournament have been inspired by the giant panda, a unique feature of Chengdu, has further raised the expectation of participating athletes. The medals will incorporate the cute giant panda with the traditional jade pendant design and the silhouette of the table tennis paddle, conveying to the world the cultural characteristics of Chengdu and the charms and essences of Chinese heritage.

Source: The Organising Committee of 2022 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals Chengdu