Team Asia emerged victorious in the inaugural Waldner Cup 2024 table tennis tournament, defeating Team World 14-10 in an intense showdown held in Oslo, Norway, over the weekend. The tournament, named after Swedish table tennis legend and 1992 Olympic gold medallist Jan Ove Waldner, showed world-class talent in an innovative two-day format.
The competition brought together top male and female table tennis players, who competed in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles matches. Under the scoring system, each win was worth one point on the first day and two points on the second day.
Team Asia’s squad featured six-time Olympic gold medallist Ma Long and Paris 2024 women’s singles champion Chen Meng of China, alongside Shin Yubin (Republic of Korea), Kazakhstan’s Kirill Gerassimenko, and India’s Manika Batra.
Manika Batra, currently ranked 25th in the world, faced stiff competition throughout the tournament. On the opening day, Batra partnered with Shin Yubin in the mixed doubles but narrowly lost 2-1 to Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz and Romania’s Bernadette Szocs. On the second day, Batra took on world No. 16 Adriana Diaz in a singles match but fell short, losing 2-0.
Team World, led by Sweden’s Paris 2024 men’s singles silver medallist Truls Moregardh and Germany’s six-time Olympic medallist Dimitrij Ovtcharov, put up a strong fight. Brazil’s Hugo Calderano was also a key member of the Team World lineup.
Heading into the second day, Team World held a narrow 10-8 lead, putting Team Asia under pressure. However, Team Asia rallied brilliantly, winning the final three matches to secure the championship with a 14-10 scoreline. The decisive moment came in the final match, where Ma Long showcased his legendary prowess by defeating Truls Moregardh, sealing the victory for his team.
The Waldner Cup not only celebrated the sport’s elite players but also offered fans thrilling contests and showed table tennis’ growing global appeal. With its unique team format and high-stakes matches, the tournament has set the stage for an exciting future.
For Team Asia, the victory showed their dominance in the sport, while Team World’s spirited performance highlighted the depth of talent across continents. As the Waldner Cup concludes its successful debut, it promises to become a marquee event in the international table tennis calendar.
