| The vibrant heart of Nigeria played host once again as WTT Contender Lagos 2025 lit up the Sir Molade Okoya Thomas Indoor Sports Hall from 22–26 July. With USD100,000 on the line, five titles up for grabs, Lagos proved why it’s a stop on the WTT Series calendar to always watch. From the start of Qualifying, storylines unfolded thick and fast. France’s Leo De Nodrest surged through with commanding form, while Akash Pal kept India’s flag flying with zero sets dropped. But it was on home soil that the crowds found their voice: Nigeria’s Iyanu Oluwa Falana, Favour Ojo, and Asiaju Bisola gave fans plenty to believe in, toppling seeds and turning heads. In the main draw, the shocks kept rolling. Sreeja Akula dismantled top seed Hina Hayata in straight games, while Anders Lind and rising star Ylane Batix wasted no time in stamping their authority. Nothing was set in stone. Seeds had fallen. Underdogs had risen. And the only certainty left in Lagos was that every final would be a fight. |
| Mixed Doubles: Prithika Pavade and Jules Rolland Finish the Fairy Tale In their first-ever WTT Series run as a duo, Prithika Pavade and Jules Rolland completed a wild underdog story, storming from Qualifying to Mixed Doubles glory with a 3-1 win over top seeds Poymantee Baisya and Akash Pal (12-10, 11-6, 6-11, 11-7). The French duo came into the final with four match wins already under their belt, and it showed. They edged a tense opening game 12-10, saving two game points in the process, and carried that momentum into a sharp 11-6 second game, capitalising on early leads and consistent placement. The top seeds fought back to take the third, but Pavade and Rolland responded with composure, pulling ahead in game four with strong service pressure and decisive play at the net to seal the win in four. |
| Women’s Doubles: Kim Nayeong and Ryu Hanna Take Out Egyptian Titans Kim Nayeong and Ryu Hanna held their nerve in a five-game epic against Egyptian aces Hana Goda and Dina Meshref (8-11, 11-4, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6). It was firepower versus finesse, and in the end, the Korean’s court coverage and shot placement made the difference. The Egyptians struck first with a tight win in game one, but Kim and Ryu responded with back-to-back dominant performances, winning the second and third games by seven and four points respectively. Goda and Meshref managed to force a deciding game with a strong showing in the fourth, but the Koreans pulled away in the final stretch, closing the fifth 11-6 to seal the victory. |
| Women’s Singles: The Chopper Queen Honoka Hashimoto Rules Lagos Honoka Hashimoto brought chaos and control in equal measure, downing Sreeja Akula 4-1 (11-7, 11-3, 11-4, 9-11, 13-11) in a match where every rally felt like a highlight reel. Hashimoto raced to a commanding 3-0 lead, giving Akula little room to settle into rhythm. The Indian pushed back with a narrow win in game four and came close to forcing a sixth, but Hashimoto held on through a tightly contested decider to close the match at 13-11—marking another strong statement from the Japanese defensive specialist. It’s her second WTT Series title in a growing list that’s redefining what it means to be a modern chopper. |
| Men’s Singles: Anders Lind Locks in His First Anders Lind came to Lagos chasing his maiden WTT Series title—and left with the trophy in hand. The Dane put in a statement performance against Tomislav Pucar, winning 4-1 (11-4, 13-11, 10-12, 13-11, 11-7) in a high-quality final that never lost its edge. From the very first serve, Lind meant business; opening with a dominant 11-4 and holding his nerve in a marathon second game that saw five deuces before he sealed it 13-11. Pucar found a foothold in game three, edging it 12-10. But Lind responded like a champion: absorbing pressure, mixing tempo, and edging another deuce in the fourth. The fifth was clinical, with Lind racing out to a lead and lock in the biggest win of his career so far, his first WTT Series title. |
| What’s Next for the WTT Series? The WTT train doesn’t slow down. WTT Contender Buenos Aires 2025 wraps tomorrow on 27 July, and then we head straight to the spectacular natural wonder of Foz do Iguaçu, where WTT Star Contender Foz do Iguaçu takes place from 29 July – 3 August. Then the stakes skyrocket. August kicks off with a historic first: WTT Champions Yokohama (7–11 August), the Series’ debut in Japan. Then from 14–24 August, the WTT spotlight shifts to the biggest event of the summer, Europe Smash – Sweden 2025. It’s WTT’s first-ever Grand Smash in Europe, and it’s coming in hot. Olympic medallists, World Champions, the biggest names and brightest stars in the sport—all descending on Sweden for 11 days of peak table tennis. It will be a table tennis renaissance we never knew we needed. |
Credit: WTT