China stars draw huge crowds at Ping Pong Dubai Festival

Huge crowds gathered at Dubai Mall today to see the worlds best table tennis players in action at the inaugural Ping Pong Dubai Festival. The Dubai-sponsored Chinese National Table Tennis Team were the star attraction, hosting master classes and meeting fans, during the one-day event at Dubai Ice Rink.

Staged just two days before the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Team Cup kicks off at Dubais Al-Nasr Club, the China team was joined by UAE players and coaches to share tips and perform trick shots, while ping pong enthusiasts also had the opportunity to compete on eight free-to-play tables and enter a series of prize draws.

China has a strong affinity with table tennis and it is always encouraging to see our passion for the sport being shared in other countries around the world, said Liu Xiaonong, Vice President of the Chinese Table Tennis Association. This is key to the sports development and the popularity of the Ping Pong Dubai Festival is a clear indicator of the growth of table tennis in Dubai. This enthusiasm suggests the sport has a very bright future in the UAE.

The world No 1 and No 2 mens players Xu Xin and Ma Long, Olympic gold medalist Zhang Jike and the three highest ranked female players, Ding Ning, Liu Shiwen and Li Xiaoxia, were present to support the festival, along with UAE No 1 Majd Albalooshi, who said: Ping Pong Dubai is a community initiative at heart and it is really positive to see the emirates ongoing effort to promote the sport as an inclusive, fun and easy way to keep active. Judging by the level of enthusiasm and engagement from the public, the Ping Pong Dubai Festival was an overwhelming success.

Ping Pong Dubai is a non-profit venture between the UAE Table Tennis Association, Dubai Sports Council, and Falcon and Associates, which facilitated Dubais sponsorship of the Chinese National Table Tennis Team until 2017.

Commenting on the importance of the association, Will Oscroft, Falcon and Associates Director of Marketing and Communications, said: Dubai is committed to forging even closer ties with China across the economic and cultural arenas and sport is a fantastic way of achieving this.

Supported by some of the games greatest players, there was an incredible atmosphere at the festival, which can only help boost participation in the sport at a grassroots level. I would like to thank the players who were involved with this years Ping Pong Dubai Festival and wish them all the very best of luck in the upcoming ITTF 2015 World Team Cup.

Further details of the initiative can be found on the Ping Pong Dubai Facebook page, along with regular updates on forthcoming events and activities.