The ITTF World Hopes Week & Challenge, the final stage of the ITTF's flagship talent programme for under-12s, finished at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield on 18 October. Joseph Sebatindira of Uganda won the boys' Challenge and Malaysia's Wan Suan Yong won the girls'.
Thirty-four players, 18 boys and 16 girls, took part, with five days of training led by ITTF head coaches Eva Jeler (Australia) and Nuria Castro (Spain). The Challenge was played as one giant round robin in each gender: 273 matches over the weekend, each over four games, with a point for every game won.
Sebatindira kept the title he won last year, losing only six of his 68 games. He beat New Zealand's Lucas Alexandre 3-1 in the last round to finish a point clear. Yong did not lose a match, dropped only nine of 60 games, and finished six points ahead of Romania's Bianca Toma.
How England did
England's wildcards gained valuable experience. Sai Prasanna Kumar finished 13th, with a win over France's Hachim Tifassi Idrissi, who came fourth. Isabella Xiao Xu finished 12th and beat fourth-placed Zeina Farouk of Egypt.
Players are assessed on technique, training attitude and approach to competition as well as results, and the top-rated players join the ITTF Hopes Team.
Starting out?
A light all-round blade such as the Victas Award Allround Light and good 3-star balls are a sensible first set-up for young players.
Sources: ITTF, 20 Oct 2026 · Table Tennis England, 19 Oct 2026
