Tag: WTT Contender Lagos

Denmark’s Anders Lind turned last year’s disappointment into triumph by capturing the men’s singles gold at the 2025 WTT Contender Lagos.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Honoka Hashimoto dethroned defending champion Sreeja Akula of India to claim the women’s singles crown on Saturday, July 26, at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos Nigeria.

Lind delivered a stellar performance to defeat Croatia’s Tomislav Pucar 4-1 (11-4, 13-11, 10-12, 13-11, 11-7), thrilling the Lagos crowd with his precision and power.

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In the women’s singles final, Hashimoto showcased her trademark defensive prowess to overcome Akula 4-1 (11-7, 11-3, 11-4, 9-11, 13-11), securing her place atop the podium.

South Korea’s Kim Nayeong and Ryu Hanna emerged victorious in the women’s doubles, edging Egypt’s Hana Goda and Dina Meshref in a gripping 3-2 final.

India retained their men’s doubles title with a new pairing, as Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Akash Pal swept past France’s Leo De Nodrest and Jules Rolland 3-0 (11-9, 11-4, 11-9) in a commanding display.

The main draw of the 2025 WTT Contender Lagos burst into life on Thursday, July 24, with fireworks and a major upset that sent shockwaves through the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall at Teslim Balogun Stadium. Japan’s Hina Hayata, the women’s top seed, bowed out of the $100,000 prize money championship in a stunning opening-day defeat.

The day was packed with excitement and powerful rallies as top seeds launched their campaigns. India’s Sreeja Akula, the defending women’s singles champion, made her intentions clear with a commanding performance, while Egypt’s former African champion Dina Meshref also advanced to the second round after a solid first-round win.

Akula, who claimed her first WTT Contender title in Lagos in 2024, approached her match with caution and tactical discipline. Her strategy paid off as she delivered the tournament’s first major upset, defeating Hayata in straight sets, 3-0 (11-7, 11-8, 11-3), to move into the second round.

 “I was well-prepared for the match, even though it was my first time playing against her,” Akula said. “She’s the top-ranked player, but I didn’t focus on rankings. I just concentrated on my game, and I’m happy with how I played.”

Seeded ninth, Akula described Lagos as a lucky venue, having made history as the first Indian to win a WTT title.

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 “Being the defending champion gives me a lot of confidence. I won both the women’s singles and doubles titles last year. Lagos has been a good hunting ground for me, and I’m really happy to be back. I just want to play my best and enjoy the tournament,” she added.

Meanwhile, Egypt’s Hana Goda also made a strong start to her campaign. The 17-year-old, who won her first continental title in Lagos in 2022, came from behind to defeat India’s Roy Krittwika 3-1 (8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-7), securing a spot in the round of 16 where she will face Chinese Taipei’s Yi-Tian Yeh.

Reflecting on her comeback, Goda said: “My opponent played better than I expected, and I was a bit shocked at the beginning. She took the lead and gained momentum. I’m glad I managed to turn things around, although I’m not satisfied with my performance. I hope to play better in the next round. It’ll be interesting facing Yi-Tian again — we played each other as kids, and maybe this is my chance to get some revenge from those early days.”

As the tournament’s third seed, Goda expressed her joy at returning to Lagos: “I love being in Lagos. I have many friends here, and I always feel supported. I was sad I couldn’t come last year, and my 2023 performance wasn’t my best. But Lagos is special to me — it’s where I won my first African title. I hope to put on a better show for the fans this time.”

Beyond the allure of the $100,000 prize pool, players at the 2025 WTT Contender Lagos are also chasing valuable ranking points at Africa’s most vibrant WTT Contender Series event, hosted at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

As the qualifying rounds enter Day 2  today, July 23, Lagos remains the epicentre of thrilling table tennis action.

Winners in each event will earn a substantial 400 ranking points—enough to trigger a significant leap in the global standings. Runners-up will receive 280 points, while semi-finalists and quarter-finalists will take home 140 and 70 points, respectively.

All eyes are on Denmark’s Anders Lind and Japan’s Hina Hayata, who headline the Men’s and Women’s Singles events. Both are strong contenders for the top prize in Lagos.

Hayata, 25, is widely regarded as the most successful player in the now-retired ITTF Challenge Series, which began in 2017. Known for her exceptional spin on both wings, she is coached by the experienced Daisuka Ishida. Since her breakthrough at the 2021 WTT Star Contender in Doha, Hayata has claimed five WTT Contender titles and a WTT Star Contender crown. Making her debut in Lagos, she aims to add her first African WTT Contender title to her growing list of achievements.

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On the men’s side, 13-time Danish champion Anders Lind—who has secured six singles titles along with multiple doubles and mixed doubles crowns—returns to Lagos, where he enjoys strong fan support. The 2025 WTT Contender Tunis runner-up sees Lagos as a favourable battleground, thanks to the passionate local crowd that fuels his performances.

Meanwhile, the qualifying rounds have been marked by flashes of brilliance and a fair share of unforced errors. Yet, for the determined competitors, the goal remains the same: a coveted spot in the main draw of the singles events, where the sport’s elite await.

With only a limited number of slots available, the journey from the qualifiers to the main stage has been anything but easy. Local Nigerian players have featured prominently in both the Men’s and Women’s Singles, joined by fellow African hopefuls, all vying for a breakthrough moment.

While some players wrapped up their campaigns on Day 1, the action intensified on Day 2—Wednesday, July 23—as the final contenders for the main draw began to emerge.

The spotlight will also shift to the Doubles and Mixed Doubles events, which kick off from the first round. Unseeded pairs will battle for a place among the top teams, hoping to make their mark in the elite rounds of the competition.

Lagos continues to cement its reputation as Africa’s table tennis hub, drawing global attention to the annual WTT Contender Lagos.

As anticipation builds for this year’s tournament, scheduled from July 22 to 26, the World Table Tennis (WTT) management has officially announced six wildcard entries, featuring players from Nigeria, Portugal, France, and South Korea.

In the Men’s Singles, Nigerian hopefuls Samuel Boboye and Taiwo Mati will be flying the flag as Host Wildcard nominees. They’ll be joined by France’s Romain Ruiz, a flick-shot specialist known for his dynamic play.

Among the standout names is French teenage sensation Rémi Betelu, a semifinalist at the 2025 WTT Feeder Havirov. The young defender is set to make his mark in Lagos, aiming to defend his way to glory at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium.

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In the Women’s Singles category, Kim Nayeong of South Korea headlines the Host Wildcard nominations. The 19-year-old, who reached the semifinals at WTT Contender Lagos 2023, returns with her sights firmly set on capturing her first WTT Series title.

Joining her are Fu Yu of Portugal and Nigeria’s own Aminat Fashola. Fu, known for her lightning-fast penhold style, will look to dominate her opponents, while Fashola hopes to draw strength and inspiration from the passionate home crowd.

These wildcard entries promise to add even more excitement to an already star-studded line-up, as Lagos prepares to host another thrilling edition of the WTT Contender series.

For the first time in the history of the WTT Series, Nigeria’s duo of Olajide Omotayo and Azeez Solanke became the first Africans and Nigerians to play in the final of WTT Contender Lagos after losing to India’s Hameet Desai and Manav Thakkar in the final of the Men’s Doubles event.

Before hitting the final, Omotayo and Solanke had edged out superpower China in the semifinal  but were undone  by the more experienced  Indians in the final.

An excited Omotayo said after the final that he would continue to partner with Solanke following the understanding between them.

“It is a great achievement for us and from now henceforth we will practice and play more tournaments together and hopefully we can improve. Today, we lost down to errors and a bit of inconsistency, but we have a long way to go, and I know we have a bright future in the doubles event. The Lagos fans should know that we want the win as much as they want it, and getting to the finals is a big win for the continent,” Omotayo said.

Solanke, the former national junior champion,  further quipped: “It is a privilege playing alongside Omotayo, and this is the second time we played doubles together. The first time, it was difficult for us, and now we have reached the finals. Automatically, I know that if we keep playing and training in the doubles together, we can achieve more wins.”

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 Meanwhile, savouring the all-important semifinal win over the Chinese duo of Fei Junhang and Luo Jiecheng, Omotayo described it as a big win.

“It is a big win for the whole continent, not just Nigeria. A win against the Chinese team is unbelievable and shocking,” he said.

A speechless Solanke simply said: “I’m speechless because it’s a dream come true for me. I was nervous because I didn’t want us to lose, and I tried to always play safe. I put the ball on the table but sometimes my teammate told me to do something I saw different things and I changed from what he told me which sometimes made us lose points but he always told me to do what he said and I always tried to put the ball where he directs me, so glory be to God we won.”