China’s Ma Long, winner of the men’s singles title at the Qatar Open 2013 Table Tennis Championships, receiving the trophy from Qatar Table Tennis Association President Khalil Al Mohannadi at Qatar Women’s Sports Committee Hall at Aspire Zone, in Doha in this file picture of February 25, 2013. RIGHT: Qatar’s Aya Majdi in action against India’s Ankita Das during the qualifying round of Qatar Open Table Tennis Championship at Aspire Women’s Committee Hall in this Febraury 23, 2013 file picture.
Doha: Qatar’s Ahmad Al Mohannadi and Aia Mohamed have been handed wildcards at the men’s and women’s singles event of the 2014 ITTF World Tour Qatar Open, organisers of the Doha event informed.
Ahmad and Aia are the only two local players who have found a place in the main draw which will be contested by some of the top players on the World Tour.
Besides Ahmad, the other Qatari players who feature in the men’s section are Fahed Al Mughanne, Mohammed Al Yafei, Abdulrahman Al Naggar, Jassim Al Sanadi, Mohammed Al Sulaiti, Shemet German, Khalifa Salah, Faisal Al Otaibi, Ahmed Alawlaqi and Waled Nasser Alhajjai
In the women section, Noora Al Abri, Kholoud Hussain, Aia Mohamed and Maha Faramarzi will keep Qatar’s flag flying. The $500,000 prize money event hosted by Qatar Table Tennis Association (QTTA) will be held from February 18 to 23 at the Aspire Dome’s Women’s Sports Committee Hall.
Around 250 players from 40 countries will be vying for top honours in the six-day championship. Players will compete in the men’s singles and doubles, besides women’s singles and doubles.
In the under-21 section, players will vie for the top prize in the men’s singles and women’s singles.
This year’s edition is the 20th edition of the Qatar Open and QTTA is planning to host the event on a grand scale, the details which are to be announced shortly.
The Peninsula
