Top 10 Must-Watch Players at the 2025 World Table Tennis Championship: Rivals, Legends, and Rising Stars

Table Tennis By Aniket Kuila

[{"selector":"#anim-3902b04e-a39a-4bed-a2d1-35b11e823e1f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4b5a5576-1a99-43f1-87c1-b4a299086830","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aa52143f-49e7-4637-9731-a33b28c0a050","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f1975510-363b-43d1-a6bd-3173244ed8ea [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, -0.000015659254714250892%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] 10. Hina Hayata (Japan) World No. 7: Maintaining her streak as a World/Asian Championship medalist, carving away towards her first gold. Image Credit: Wikipedia

[{"selector":"#anim-7837cd58-a7b2-4e4d-8c54-201a06b8a7fd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7556fdb5-a918-4484-ba27-9413ca499f9b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d475b7e8-b509-42a7-a140-cd29ba673357","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-98664205-e0e3-4b7f-a4f7-be4ecbe79f11","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 9. Miwa Harimoto (Japan) World No. 6: At 16, she took the World Cup bronze and now looks set to top her WTTC debut. Image Credit: Kyodo News

[{"selector":"#anim-6f34fd93-260e-4add-b0ba-c3d0050a82a7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9d4a151c-3ff9-49fe-989e-cffc72d1f776","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aebd0670-2115-46b5-b641-6b445972bc8a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9da2a0d2-4572-4c1c-88c6-f4dca8a0bb93","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 8. Kuai Man (China) World No. 5: The youngest and rising star of the latest podium-placed ITTF Women's World Cup. Image Credit: Flickr

[{"selector":"#anim-4aab610d-b4a2-4524-9e2c-44681ecfa9bd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-30f2d7a2-a26c-4759-afc3-f0289ba88b19","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5565c88c-3b20-4634-96f2-3015ee172910","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-61490e97-95e2-4cb2-a606-75dee81f9a58","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 7. Wang Manyu (China) World No. 2: Trying for another crack at the World Championship title following WTT Finals 2024 victory. Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

[{"selector":"#anim-0d9d827a-0114-4a67-a19a-2a66b253a26b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(1.3143063402999822%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7bedaabb-3324-492c-a2e0-835a8ba66324","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9e0a8447-34d5-4b22-84a0-203d027bf601","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-62cd9fe8-742d-4485-a1bb-0a195b6546fc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 6. Sun Yingsha (China) World No. 1: The defending champion and winner of the 2025 World Cup is about to defend her title. Image Credit: Wikipedia

[{"selector":"#anim-83f21a87-f0dd-4ab8-bd47-2851d7808f6d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4da28878-afaf-4258-9b2e-1b4d0003be31","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df94a116-c08b-4812-92dc-ef174e9fa893","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fe6c506a-93a6-4776-8ffe-81716ca791aa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 5. Felix Lebrun (France) World No. 6: Young penholder with a WTT Contender victory seeking more titles. Image Credit: Le Parisien

[{"selector":"#anim-4336ad99-c107-468b-ba5f-1d57481b33c2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-2.543366940333012%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5901123a-23a5-43a1-80e8-4e12d27cc24e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9c66e203-bb7f-4403-a4af-42a7f9eacad9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-83fa847d-084b-4d63-ac91-6d064909da38","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 4. Tomokazu Harimoto (Japan) World No. 4: The WTT Finals 2024 runner-up is after his first World Championship title. Image Credit: Kyodo News

[{"selector":"#anim-31a61fe5-819a-4a33-b8f2-cddf6749e8a8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3e83b1ba-a17c-47a6-a1ae-f20188305ecd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5ad2d788-855c-401c-b3ae-e0f91017ee2a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8de0b89e-6810-4fe0-9b5e-8f0c19dadb65","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 3. Hugo Calderano (Brazil) World No. 3: With his status as World Cup champion, he wants to end Chinese dominance at the Worlds. Image Credit: Sportstar

[{"selector":"#anim-51fc25af-6c46-4b9d-882e-1bb7909b9ffb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-1.2340402487915902%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2f275721-d44f-4006-91e4-cdfc70669e88","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6c1cfb1f-ca44-42e7-b5d3-c93267db6ba9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eec6bdb0-b6ec-4759-a199-08f1e849542a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 2. Wang Chuqin (China) World No. 2: After conquering the WTT Finals 2024, Wang now wants to turn his silver at the WTTC into gold. Image Credit: World Table Tennis

[{"selector":"#anim-496f5ee9-0a72-428d-b735-b5936dcabd52 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8e267e91-3b1c-4482-92c0-011537cb2849","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6b783926-fe6b-45d8-9973-827f30b14c7f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-937ca8e0-8bd3-4596-861b-fc3c7c8f0e4c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 1. Lin Shidong (China) World No. 1: Having emerged victorious from the Singapore Smash 2025, Lin, as a debutant, is eager to bag his first-ever World title. Image Credit: World Table Tennis