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Despite not being selected by Asian Games local organizers to compete in Aichi-Nagoya, four Filipino table tennis players are headed to the world stage.
The men’s doubles 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 at 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 campaign ended in the quarterfinals against Hong Kong’s Wong Chunting and Baldwin Chan, who prevailed in five games, 11-6, 8-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-8.
Misal and Nayre 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 receiving 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 performances of both duos 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 thanked the Huaching Foundation, led by William Yap, for supporting all Filipino players who qualified for the World Championships. He likewise acknowledged Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Pato Gregorio and Commissioner Edward Hayco for their continued support 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 underscore the progress of the PTTF’s development program. Misal, Nayre, and Cruz are competing professionally in Germany, while Laude continues to balance her studies and table tennis career at De La Salle University.
