Many might think of ping pong as being a completely Chinese domain but a look at the roll of honour for the World Table Tennis Championships dating back nearly a century and one country stands out from the early days: Hungary.
From the first finals in 1926, Hungarian men and women dominated the sport until the war. Although Japan then took over, Hungary still ranks second in the overall medals table, ahead of everyone but China, whose players came into the frame from the 1970s onwards.
The event takes place every two years, usually in a major metropolis such as Paris or Shanghai. Budapest last had the honour of hosting the WTTC back in 1950, so bringing it here nearly 70 years later is a real coup for the city.
And there are plenty of players for local sports fans to look out for. Olympic champion Ma Long, he of the close-range third-ball play, will be seeking to win a third straight men’s individual title. Among his closest challengers is teenage prodigy Harimoto Tomokazu of Japan, still only 15, who made the 2017 quarter-finals when only 13. Latin flair will be provided by Brazil’s Hugo Calderano, a Rubik’s Cube champion in his spare time.
Hungary’s hopes are pinned on the veteran Georgina Pota, a member of the national team that won European gold in 2007. Europe’s best chance might lie with Romania’s Bernadette Szőcs, still only 24 and full of ambition. The one to beat, however, is China’s Ding Ning, who will be using all her counter top spin to claim a fourth consecutive women’s singles title.
Matches are the best of seven games, played up to 11 points, with a change of server after two.
Sessions start at 10am every day and run until about 8pm, except for the finals days for singles and doubles on Saturday and Sunday, from noon and 1.30pm respectively.
At the Expo site, there will also be a fun zone and exhibition stands.
To reach Hungexpo, take red metro line 2 to Pillangó utca. After exiting the station, walk back towards town and turn left into Pongrác út. Allow 10min.
See the schedule and buy tickets here.
