The Zhejiang Audi Cup Table Tennis Tournament Hangzhou, held at Ali Sports Center in Jiubao Subdistrict from August 24 to 25, attracted 260 participants from across the province and beyond. 

The recent Paris Olympics has sparked a surge in popularity for table tennis. “There’s been an explosion of amateur table tennis competitions in recent months,” said Ma Miaolan, organizer of the Audi Cup Tournament and chairman of Hangzhou Ruichao Sports Agency Co., Ltd. According to Ma, countless tournaments of all shapes and sizes have sprung up across the country since July. Most matches were held on weekends. “The Audi Cup Tournament, with stops in Wenzhou, Jinhua, and Hangzhou, has been incredibly popular. We have also organized three invitational tournaments. All of them filled up in seconds. Over 2,000 players signed up,” Ma added.

The two-day Hagnzhou stop of the Audi Cup Tournament featured five age groups and both men’s and women’s singles, attracting participants from as young as seven to as old as 68. The event is a testament to the sport’s enormous popularity in China. “Our nine tables were buzzing with activity from morning to evening for the past two days,” said a representative of the tournament organizer. “The venue echoed with the constant sound of paddles hitting balls.”