TTA TOUR - SYDNEY- SYDNEY OLYMPIC PARK - 29 ~ 30 MAY 2021

Two decades after 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Sydney Olympic Park will hold the highest level table tennis event in Australia again. The Table Tennis Australia (TTA) Tour - Sydney will be held at Sydney Olympic Park on 29 - 30 May 2021.

It will provide Australians the highest level of table tennis competition opportunities for both National Squad and non-National Squad athletes, with the event being professionally presented and managed by TTA.

TTA National Head Coach (Able-Bodied), John Murphy, who has been leading National Squad training in Sydney during the past weeks, commented: “We have built up our high performance environment over the past couple of years with more training now being offered around the country than ever before. However, the reality is if our players are to reach their potential and if we are to drive up the overall standard of Australian table tennis, we need everyone competing more often and at a higher level.”

John continued: “The TTA Tour will be crucial in ensuring sufficient high level competition opportunities are provided. Importantly, the format and structure of the TTA Tour aligns with international trends, especially the new World Table Tennis initiatives being rolled out.”

John stated: “I’m also looking forward to seeing the large pool of next tier athletes show their skills on a national level. There are a lot of players working very hard currently and the more rivalry we have for places in the National Squad, the better it is for everyone”.

John congratulates all 26 junior athletes on their selections into the 2021 National Hopes Squad, and wishes them to achieve their goals via this valuable opportunity.

John thanks the strong support from TTNSW, and the National Squad in Sydney now can have training five days per week with aiming of six days per week in the near future.

All of four Australian Tokyo Olympic Team members Michelle Bromley, Stephanie Sang, Chris Yan and David Powell will have an excellent show at Sydney Olympic Park before they go to the Tokyo Olympic Games in July 2021.

A massive 288 individual event entries have been accepted across 16 events, with competitors from six states/territories across Australia. It includes 9 of top 10 National Senior Men's players and 8 of top 10 National Senior Women's players.

National Squad members are very excited to be returning to competition and having this opportunity to test their skills against Australia’s top ranked athletes.

Kane Townsend said: “Australian table tennis community needs more high level events. TTA Tour is an excellent opportunity for us to test our skills against Australia’s top players.”

Michelle Bromley and Tracy Feng said: “We are super excited. We have been waiting too long since we played national level championships in 2019.”

Top junior players Nicholas Lum, Finn Luu, Yangzi Liu and Hwan Bae said: “TTA Tour is very important for all of us. We are vey happy to be participating and playing against the best in Australia. It will allow us to showcase our skills and benchmark our level of preparation, and it will help us to prepare better for the future international competitions.”

President of TTNSW, Tony Aduckiewicz said “TTNSW welcomed TTA Tour - Sydney at Sydney Olympic Park. TTNSW is excited to support TTA to organize this highest level table tennis event in Australia at Sydney Olympic Park after two decades since 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Good luck to all players.”

Thanks for these interviews by Etta McEwan, TTA and Anthony Zhao, David Lee, Dylan Kennedy and Michael Li, TTNSW.

More details about TTA Tour - Sydney can be found:

https://www.tabletennis.org.au/news/final-entry-lists-tta-tour-sydney/