The sport of table tennis is set to introduce a new global championship event in its roster in 2024, after the resounding success of the recently held exhibition of virtual reality table tennis.
The International Table Tennis Federation revealed this month that its executive board gave the green light for the creation of a VR Table Tennis World-Title Event for the following year.
During the first-ever Olympic Esports Week held in June 2023 in Singapore, VR table tennis was featured as a demonstration sport.
“Embracing esports and constant innovation is fundamental to the ITTF’s mission to elevate the status of table tennis on a global scale,” said ITTF president Petra Sörling. “We are sculpting the future of table tennis and propelling it to unparalleled heights.”
The decision to approve such an event was partly influenced by the International Olympic Committee’s announcement about exploring possibilities of initiating Olympic Esports Games, as informed by Sörling.
“The accomplishment of the Olympic Esports [Week] and the potential inception of Olympic Esports Games accelerated our efforts, ensuring that we’re ready and experienced to not only participate, but also make a significant impact in future esports events,” she elaborated.
VR table tennis provides an exciting engagement platform for a wide age range of players to compete on an equal footing. The showcased event in Singapore earlier this year saw a semi-final contest between a 17-year-old and a 50-year-old participant.
The exhibition show’s final saw the triumph of France’s very own Antonin Landreau.