After two days of qualifying that whittled the field down to 32 men and 32 women in singles, the stage is now set for the top seeds as the main draw of the 2026 WTT Contender Lagos gets underway on Thursday, May 21, at the Molade Okoya‑Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium.
The men’s singles promises a fierce contest. Defending champion Anders Lind of Denmark, Japan’s Honoka Hashimoto, France’s Thibault Poret, Korea Republic’s Oh Junsung, and India’s Manav Thakkar headline the draw. Lind, the Danish southpaw, is chasing history as the first player to defend the Lagos crown back‑to‑back, buoyed by his strong showing at the recent World Team Championships in London and the passionate Lagos crowd that carried him to glory in 2025.
In the women’s singles, Hashimoto, seeded second, faces a formidable challenge. Compatriot Satsuki Odo, Korea’s Joo Cheonhui, Romania’s Elizabeth Samara, and Egypt’s Dina Meshref are all determined to break through and claim a WTT title.
With singles, doubles, and mixed doubles all on the card, and $100,000 in prize money at stake, Lagos is primed for four days of high‑octane action where heavyweights will indeed take centre stage.
Meanwhile, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has admitted that table tennis has placed Lagos on the global map.
The competition, which started in 2013 as Lagos Table Tennis Classics, has metamorphosed into a global brand and a rallying point for players across the world with WTT Contender Lagos now on board.
The governor, who has been a strong supporter of table tennis, urged the visiting players to enjoy the warmness of the city during their stay.
Governor Sanwo-Oku said: "Table tennis, in particular, has placed our city firmly on the global map. Lagos has become a premier destination for the sport, with top players from around the world eager to return and experience the warmth, hospitality, and unique energy of this great city."
The annual tournament, launched on June 12, 2023 as the successor to the ITTF Nigeria Open, has been staged for three consecutive years. Building on the legacy of the Lagos International Table Tennis Classics and the ITTF Nigeria Open (established in 2013), it has grown into a major international event that consistently attracts elite global talents.
Sanwo-Olu, who was at the final of the 2024 WTT Contender Lagos, described the experience as thrilling.
The governor stated: “As one of the 10 WTT Contender Series tournaments listed for 2026, Lagos is widely regarded as one of the most vibrant and colourful stops on the WTT calendar.
"The 'City of Aquatic Splendor' is prepared to deliver an unforgettable experience filled with energy, culture, and world-class table tennis. This year, 23 nations from Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Oceania, the Americas, and Africa have confirmed participation."
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