Competition heats up in WTT Contender Muscat as main draw begins

MUSCAT, OCT 30

The main draw competitions began at WTT Contender Muscat 2024 as top seeding players were raring to go and some of the biggest breakout names in WTT Series 2024 were headed to the tables in Oman.

The preliminary round concluded after thrilling competitions on Wednesday. In men’s singles, Indian’s Akash PAL secured slot in the main draw after he managed to overcome Iran’s Amir Mahdi by 3-1 while Park Gyuhyeon from South Korea booked spot after edging Iranian Ben Yamin Faraji by 3-0. India’s Manush Utpalbhai confirmed his presence in the main draw after beating Pau Yik from Hong Kong by 3-0 while China’s Yuan Licen moved to the main draw after defeating Woo Heyonggyu from South Korea by 3-1.

Lin Shidong comes in as top seed in the men's singles and he is one of the top nominees to clinch titles of the WTT Contender Muscat 2024. The World No 2 is back on the horse in Muscat and ready to re-start his winning streak once again. First up for Lin is a showdown with Sathiyan Gnanasekaran.

Besides Lin Shidong, there are many other top ranking paddlers who will vie for the events titles including: Lin Gaoyuan (World Ranking #9), Oh Junsung (WR #31) from South Korea, Japanese paddler Yukiya Uda (WR #37) and besides many other players across the players.

In the women’s section, Satsuki Odo from Japan (WR #15), Qian Tianyi from China (WR #21), Kim Nayeong (WR #34) from South Korea and many other paddlers.

Gaining Experience

Omani paddler Badr al Jassasi, one of the national team representatives in WTT Contender 2024, said he is very delighted to take part in a such a prestigious event. “It is a highly competitive championship with players of significant ranking and top skills. Oman team paddlers are aiming to maximise their technical growth by competing with experienced and high-ranking players. This exposure is expected to enhance our international ranking,” he added.

Al Jassasi, who recently competed in the Asian Table Tennis Championship in Kazakhstan, shared that the experience strengthened his skillset and contributed to his technical development in the sport. “It is essential to focus on continuous participation in both regional and international tournaments which provides valuable experience. I am proud of representing Oman on such prominent platforms, seeing it as a powerful motivator for personal growth and achieving positive results in the near future,” he concluded.