Despite not being selected by Asian Games local organizers to participate in the games in Aichi-Nagoya, four Filipino table tennis players are headed to the world stage.
The men’s pair of John Russel Misal and Jann Nayre and the women’s duo of Kheith Cruz and Angel Laude have qualified for the 2027 World Table Tennis Championships following their respective campaigns last week in the ITTF-ATTU Asian Championships Tashkent 2026.
The World Championships are scheduled for May 22-30 at Barys Arena in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Misal and Nayre reached the quarterfinals after sweeping Kuwait, 11-3, 11-4, 11-7, in the Round of 32 before defeating Iran, 11-6, 13-11, 11-7.
However, their run ended against Hong Kong’s Wong Chunting and Baldwin Chan, who prevailed in five games, 11-6, 8-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-8.
Nayre and Misal also won the men’s doubles title at the WTT Feeder Puerto Princesa last September.
Meanwhile, Cruz and Laude battled past Malaysia, 11-4, 7-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-6, in the round of 32 before suffering an 11-2, 11-1, 11-5 defeat to China.
Despite the loss, Cruz and Laude secured 10th place after earning walkover victories in the placement matches. They eventually fell to South Korea’s Lee Daeun and Park Gahyeon, 14-16, 11-1, 11-8, in the battle for ninth place.
Philippine Table Tennis Federation president Ting Ledesma expressed pride in the two duos’ performances and pledged the federation’s full support as they prepare for the World Championships.
‘We are very proud of both teams and what they have accomplished. We will give them our full support in their buildup to the World Championships by sending them to more international tournaments to gain valuable experience and prepare them for the competition,’ Ledesma said.
Ledesma also expressed gratitude to the Huaching Foundation, led by Mr. William Yap, for supporting all the Filipino players who qualified for the World Championships. He likewise acknowledged the support of Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Pato Gregorio and Commissioner Edward Hayco for their continued backing of Philippine table tennis.
‘We are grateful to Mr. William Yap and the Huaching Foundation for supporting our qualified athletes and helping provide them with opportunities to compete on the international stage. We also thank PSC Chairman Pato Gregorio and Commissioner Edward Hayco for their support of our athletes and our efforts to further develop Philippine table tennis,’ Ledesma said.
The results highlight the progress of the PTTF development program, with Misal, Nayre, and Cruz competing in the professional ranks in Germany, while Laude continues her studies and table tennis career at De La Salle University.