Alkass Digital
The draw for the World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Men 2023 revealed exciting clashes ahead of the high-profile event which will kick off at the Lusail Sports Hall on Wednesday (January 3, 2024). The event holds a total prize pool of $340,000.
Standing at the top of the Men's Singles is World No.1 Fan Zhendong. Winner of the inaugural event back in 2021, Fan will be on a campaign to take back the trophy. With three WTT Series titles, including Singapore Smash, to his name this year, Fan will be confident he is up to the task. First up for the top seed will be Darko Jorgic. Fan goes in holding a 2:0 head-to-head record against the World No.14.
The top half of the draw also sets up a potential semifinal collision between Fan and Ma Long. Ma is still searching for a WTT Men's Singles title and would be more than happy to get that monkey off his back in Doha. The first hurdle for the GOAT this week will be Jang Woojin. The World No.3 holds a clean sheet against Jang, but this will be their first match in five years.
On the bottom half of the draw defending champion Wang Chuqin is poised for a maiden meeting with 2023 breakout star Felix Lebrun. Both players have recorded career milestones throughout the 2023 season, with Wang taking the World No.1 crown for the first time and Lebrun cracking the Top 10. It will be an unmissable match as the teenage debutant tries to add one last chapter to the 2023 fairytale against the defending champ.
Another highlight match set to land in front of fans around the world is a meeting between two-time WTT Finals runner-up Tomokazu Harimoto and Dimitrij Ovtcharov. Harimoto narrowly leads their head-to-head 5:4, but has all the momentum, having won their last three encounters. Both are also still on the hunt for their first Men's Singles title for the season.
Continental kings are gearing up to collide as Hugo Calderano is ready to take on Quadri Aruna in the opening round. The World No.5 from Brazil holds a 2:0 record against Aruna so will be favourite to keep his stellar WTT Series year rolling on. The duo should be well prepared to face each other having spent the afternoon out on Infinity 8 Arena practicing together, so fans should be in for a treat when they take centre stage on the opening day of action.
Meanwhile in the Men's Doubles draw, top seeds Fan Zhendong and Wang Chuqin will get their title chase underway against Ho Kwan Kit and Wong Chun Ting. It will be blockbuster action from the get-go in the innuagral event, as young stars will be out in force when the Lebrun brothers take on Quek Izaac and Pang Yew En Koen, while an explosive quarterfinal matchup is on the cards as Dimitirj Ovtcharov and Patrick Franziska face Lin Gaoyuan and Lin Shidong.
WTT Finals Men Doha will take place at Lusail Sports Arena from 3-5 January. The climatic conclusion to WTT Series 2023 will offer a total prize pool of USD 340,000 as well as 1500 World Ranking points up top for the Men's Singles winner.
Matches get underway Wednesday 3 January at 11:00 (GMT+3) with the round of 16 of the Men's Singles first up in Doha.