The ITTF World Para Table Tennis Championships 2026 will make history when 165 male and 165 female athletes compete in Pattaya from 23-29 November, marking the first time the event has achieved complete gender equality.
This groundbreaking milestone coincides perfectly with the ITTF’s centenary celebrations, creating what promises to be a special ITTF World Para Championships in the sport’s history.
The ITTF World Para Championships, held every four years since 1990, have grown from modest origins to become one of sport’s most prestigious gatherings. This ninth edition promises to be the most significant yet.
Pattaya, Thailand
Thailand’s selection as host reflects their exceptional contribution to Para table tennis development. Since Rungroj Thainiyom’s breakthrough gold at London 2012 sparked the nation’s Para table tennis revolution, Thailand has consistently demonstrated world-class hosting capabilities.
Events
The 330-athlete field will contest 37 medal events across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles competitions, spanning wheelchair (classes 1-5), standing (classes 6-10), and intellectual impairment (class 11) categories.
Singles: 10 male and 10 female events (Classes 1, 2, 3, 4-5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11)
Doubles Competition: Five male events (MD4, MD8, MD14, MD18, MD22) and five female events (WD5, WD10, WD14, WD20, WD22)
2024/25 will see us reach 100 consecutive seasons in England’s top-flight, but the story about how that run started has gone down in football folklore, and contributed to our biggest rivalry.
While our derby days between us and Tottenham Hotspur are sparked by geographical location and football history, one particular decision in 1919 that kick-started our century of top-flight campaigns did little to bond us with our neighbours.
The story begins with us finishing sixth in the 1914/15 Second Division season – the final campaign before football was suspended due to World War I. After a four-year wait, in 1919 the Football League decided to restart and increase in size from 40 to 44 teams, split equally into leagues of 22.
During previous expansions in 1898 and 1905, the top Second Division sides were promoted as usual, and indeed on this occasion Derby County and Preston North End did move into the First Division. The two teams that were relegated meanwhile would appeal to the rest of the Football League clubs to avoid demotion, and in this case, Chelsea and Tottenham were looking for a stay of execution.
The Blues’ nomination was a foregone conclusion because their relegation had been controversial. Manchester United had only escaped the drop on the final day as a result of fixing their game against Liverpool, and ultimately the other clubs unanimously voted to reinstate the hard-done-by west Londoners.
With one other spot up for grabs, Tottenham pleaded their case to the other league clubs, while Barnsley, who finished third in the Second Division, thought they also merited a spot if the Lilywhites were demoted.
However, our chairman Sir Henry Norris was also pushing hard for us to be included in the promotion discussions. Norris had saved the club from voluntary liquidation in 1910, and moved us to north London in 1913 when we swapped Woolwich in south-east London for Highbury. Now he was looking for us to return to English football’s elite, albeit by an unconventional method.
This is where the rumours start creeping in. Over the years, it has commonly been alleged that Norris influenced the Football League chairman and owner of Liverpool, John McKenna, who then delivered an impassioned speech to a Football League committee when the time came to cast the votes for the 22nd and final spot in the First Division in March 1919
However, despite newspapers at the time reporting many other details from that AGM, none made any mention of McKenna’s suggestion that we should be elected ahead of Tottenham. What is known is that of the 41 votes cast, we received 18, 10 more than second-placed Tottenham.
Votes for election to the First Division in 1919
Club
Votes
Arsenal
18
Tottenham
8
Barnsley
5
Wolves
4
Nottingham Forest
3
Birmingham
2
Hull
1
Some of the reasons suggested as to why we were granted promotion were that we had always been supporters of the Football League rather than the rival Southern League – indeed we had been the first team from the south to be included in the Football League when we joined in 1893, even if it meant we regularly had to pay for costly travel up north for away matches.
It was also suggested that with Chelsea being the only other London-based side, another would help boost publicity for the division from the Fleet Street press, stave off competition from the Southern League, and that our opponents enjoyed playing in London more frequently.
Whatever the reasons, the Gunners were back in the top-flight for the first time since 1913, and we kicked off the campaign with a 1-0 loss against Newcastle United at Highbury on August 30. We would end our first campaign back in the elite a credible 10th, while Spurs made a swift return by winning the Second Division at the first attempt.
What can’t be disputed is that Norris’ legacy is still felt 106 years later. He could never have imagined that his canvassing would start the ball rolling for us to become the only club to complete 100 consecutive top-flight seasons, and make derby days all the more sparky.
Copyright 2025 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.
Last night Julia Paszkiewicz and Nike Hunecke (GER) stood at the top of the podium, gold medals glinting under the bright lights of the Jianyang Cultural and Sports Centre Gymnasium where the Ju-Jitsu competition took place.
The German Mixed Duo Para Visual pair had just claimed their sport’s highest prize—and done so on a stage where para and able-bodied athletes compete side by side.
For both, the moment carried weight far beyond the medal as the Mixed Duo Show does for all its participants at The World Games whether it be in the Para Visual, Physical or Mental disciplines.
“It’s such an honour that we have an event like the World Games because we get the gratitude for all the things we’ve done over the years,” said Paszkiewicz who now has four TWG medals in Ju-Jitsu. “We work hard, as hard as all the other Olympians, but we have to work or go to school during this time.”
“We don’t have only one thing—we have our sport and all the other stuff we have to combine. I think it’s the best part for inclusion, to be honest—not a separate event, but altogether it’s amazing.”
It’s a format that sets The World Games apart.
Unlike the Paralympics, there is no separate timetable in Chengdu. Para-athletes compete in the same arena, at the same time, with the same audience. Thus, the applause is shared, and the spotlight is equal – everything that represents TWG’s values.
Hunecke knows that balance well. Still in school, the 19 year old has spent the past year juggling A-levels with daily training. “I have A-levels, I’ve been training every day, every hour, training in school too,” she said whilst visibly emotional shortly afterwards. “It’s been one year full of exams and training. I had some exams during Chengdu, and I cancelled that for this.”
Paszkiewicz’s path to this point has been less linear. A veteran of the “classic” discipline, she competed at The World Games 2017 – where she claimed Gold in the Team event and Silver in Duo Mixed – and again in Birmingham – Silver in the Team event – before temporarily stepping away from the sport, spending more time in the office as an online marketer than rolling on the mats.
Then, last spring, a conversation with her coach changed everything.
“Our boss asked if we’d like to start here (in Mixed Para Pair), said there’s an opportunity. Well, why not? We decided to try and see what happens.”
“We had eight weeks to the World Championship, so we said, ‘OK, let’s begin.’”
The pairing was, in more ways than one, a leap of faith. Hunecke and Paszkiewicz live nearly 800 kilometres apart, meaning a year of constant travel had to be undertaken for training. However, the bigger challenge was forging the trust essential for a mixed duo, especially when one partner has a visual impairmen . In this case it is Hunecke who is partially sighted.
A successful World Championships last year though in Heraklion qualified them for The World Games 2025, a staggering accolade considering they had only known each other for little less than two months.
“I think it’s a lot about trust and that has to be earned, especially because we didn’t know each other very well,” replied Paszkiewicz when asked what was the hardest part of their journey.
“When trying some techniques for me, it was an experience because I never tried with someone who has the visual impairment.”
“It was very much about talking—what can you do? What can you see? How can you move? Talking to gain that trust.”
On Sunday in Chengdu, the trust was there for all to see as they flipped their way – quite literally – to the top podium, defeating China’s own Pan Tianyou and Wang Wenqiang 149 to 143 points.
For both, the medal is proof that the long-distance travelling, the sacrifices, the growing pains of picking up a new discipline were worth it and that inclusion on the same stage is not just possible, but powerful.
In Chengdu, Paszkiewicz and Hunecke weren’t a “para” duo or an “able-bodied” duo. They were simply one team and one champion for Germany.
Tuesday night at the Cincinnati Open came to a premature end as thunderstorms forced the postponement of two scheduled third-round matches.
Cincinnati: Draws | Scores | Order of Play
No. 4 seed and defending finalist Jessica Pegula and No. 31 seed Magda Linette completed two sets before play was suspended for the night after heavy rain pummeled the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Linette won the first set in a tiebreak 7-6(5) before Pegula hit back to take the second set 6-3.
Heavy rain and lightning were forecasted until past 10 p.m. local time — and interrupted the second set between Linette and Pegula twice. The Cincinnati Open released a statement shortly before the top of the hour which read: “Due to the rain, there will be no further play this evening.”
Also postponed to Wednesday was the third round between No. 16 seed Clara Tauson and Veronika Kudermetova, and two doubles matches.
Linette and Pegula will resume their match second on P&G Center Court on Wednesday following the ATP match between No. 7 seed Holger Rune and No. 10 seed Frances Tiafoe. The match will begin no earlier than noon local time and will be the first of three women’s singles matches on the main stadium for the day.
No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka faces Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the day session, while No. 12 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova and No. 28 seed Anna Kalinskaya will close out the night slate.
Kudermetova and Tauson will take to Court 3 at noon to play their match, with the winners of the two singles matches slated to face each other in the Round of 16.
The Birmingham Phoenix needed 61 from 25 balls with six wickets in the bank when the Oval Invincibles drew their trump card, Rashid Khan out. The Afghanistan leg-spinner is an ideal choice in such a situation to completely shut the chase with a boundary-less over or a couple of wickets.
Liam Livingstone and Rashid Khan
Cricket, however, is a funny game. The exact opposite happened. Liam Livingstone got stuck into Rashid Khan, hitting arguably one of the best white-ball spinners in the world, for three sixes and two fours. The five-ball over yielded 26 runs. Rashid Khan went for 59 runs in his 20 balls — the most expensive spell in The Hundred and the most expensive in his entire T20 career (The Hundred matches are recorded as T20 games)
Previously, the most runs Rashid had conceded in a T20 match was 55 in an IPL 2018 match against Kings XI.
The over completely changed the complexion of the match, bringing the equation down to 35 off 20 balls. Despite a dramatic last over that started with two wickets, the Phoenix prevailed, winning the match by four wickets. The star of the show was Liam Livingstone, who else? He hit a blistering unbeaten 69 off 27 balls to help Phoenix chase down a challenging target of 181 with just two balls to spare.
Liam Livingstone leads Birmingham Phoenix to a memorable win
In a high-octane contest at Edgbaston, Livingstone produced a captain’s knock of the highest order, smashing five sixes in a dazzling 27-ball innings. His late onslaught and calm under pressure proved decisive as Phoenix registered their first win of the tournament.
Earlier, Oval Invincibles were inserted to bat and made a stuttering start. Will Jacks was dismissed on the second ball, and by the end of the 25-ball powerplay they had reached 31 for 2. They slumped further with Sam Curran falling cheaply, leaving the visitors at 34 for 3. Jordan Cox (44) and skipper Sam Billings steadied the innings, taking the score to 70 for 3 at halfway before Billings departed.
The innings turned with the arrival of South African Donovan Ferreira, who unleashed a ferocious counterattack. He struck 63 off just 29 deliveries, reaching his half-century in only 24 balls and clearing the ropes with ease. His knock included a towering six off Tim Southee to bring up the team’s 100. Rashid Khan added a valuable 16 off 6, including two sixes, while a chaotic penultimate set from Dan Mousley went for 25, featuring two sixes and ten runs in wides. Invincibles eventually closed on 180 for 8.
Phoenix’s reply began nervously as Jason Behrendorff bowled his opening 10 balls for just five runs. Saqib Mahmood then struck with the wicket of Ben Duckett, but Will Smeed countered with a fluent 51 off 29, including back-to-back sixes that shifted the momentum. Smeed was bowled by Nathan Sowter soon after reaching his fifty, with Phoenix on 91 for 3.
The innings wobbled slightly with Jacob Bethell’s dismissal 20 runs later, but Livingstone stepped up, smashing Rashid Khan for 26 in one set and combining effectively with Mousley to bring Phoenix within striking distance. With three needed from five balls, drama unfolded as Mahmood removed Mousley and Louis Kimber with consecutive deliveries. However, Benny Howell kept his cool, driving the hat-trick ball through the covers to seal a thrilling win.
Reflecting on his match-winning effort, Livingstone said: “We needed it, it’s been a bit of a disappointing start to the tournament. It’s nice to lead from the front and hopefully that gives the boys a bit of momentum and a bit of confidence.”
He added: “I was trying to be there at the end, it’s something I haven’t done a lot of in my career, so it was in the back of my mind, but we still needed to take some risks. It’s an incredible win from where we were.”
Livingstone was named the Meerkat Match Hero for his match-winning performance, one that not only lifted Phoenix off the bottom but also reignited their campaign in this year’s competition.
In-form Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast continues her rise up the latest rankings as impressive Australian seamer Annabel Sutherland becomes the No.1 ranked T20I bowler for the first time.
Ireland youngster Orla Prendergast has been rewarded for some strong performances against Pakistan by reaching new career-high ratings in the latest ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings.
Prendergast was in sublime form for Ireland during their recent 2-1 series triumph over Pakistan, with the 23-year-old making excellent contributions with bat and ball to deservedly claim the Player of the Series award.
The right-hander amassed 144 runs across the three matches at an average of 72 and chipped in with four valuable wickets with her more than handy medium pacers.
It saw Prendergast obtain a new career-high rating and climb eight spots to 19th overall on the list for T20I batters, while she also gained three places to improve to sixth on the rankings for T20I all-rounders.
Ireland teammates Laura Delany (up five spots to equal 50th) and Rebecca Stokell (up five rungs to 77th) also made some ground on the rankings for T20I batters, while Pakistan will be buoyed by the efforts of Muneeba Ali (up three places to equal 32nd) and Fatima Sana (up four spots to 59th) across the three-game series as they too made gains on the same list.
There was also a shake-up at the top of the rankings for T20I bowlers, with Australian all-rounder Annabel Sutherland claiming top spot in the category despite not playing an international fixture across the last week.
Sutherland hasn’t featured in the shortest format since she took a four-wicket haul against New Zealand in March, but her rating of 736 remains unchanged as a group of bowlers near the top of the rankings lost points across the last week.
Pakistan spinner Sadiq Iqbal was previously the No.1 ranked T20I bowler, but she dropped one spot to move to equal second alongside India’s Deepti Sharma after she picked up just three wickets across the series against Ireland.
It saw Iqbal lose rating points overall and relinquish top spot on the rankings, with Sutherland rising to claim the premier position for the first time in her fledgling career.
New Zealand Rugby and Sky have teamed up to deliver Triple Threat, an eight-part documentary series that offers unprecedented access into the lives of three of Aotearoa’s most exciting Gen Z rugby talents, Maia Joseph, Jorja Miller, and Katelyn Vahaakolo, as they pursue their dream of representing the Black Ferns at the Rugby World Cup 2025.
Premiering today Wednesday 13 August at 6pm on NZR+ and screening the same day on Sky Go and Sky Sport Now, Triple Threat is a raw, personal, and unfiltered look at the drama, drive, and cultural identity that shapes these young athletes both on and off the field.
From selection pressure to social media, from whānau to international fame, this is the story of three wāhine toa forging their path in the modern era of elite sport. With behind-the-scenes footage, emotional interviews, and intimate moments, the series reveals the resilience and passion it takes to chase the black jersey.
Triple Threat is a celebration of women’s rugby, cultural diversity, and the unique mana of the Black Ferns.
About the series Maia Joseph says: “The show not only gives a real insight into the Black Ferns, but also Jorja, KV and my personal lives. It’s been an amazing experience, and I am so fortunate to have my first World Cup frozen in time for the future”.
Jorja Miller added: “You only get to debut once at a Rugby World Cup, and it’s been a goal of mine for some time. I’m excited to be part of a show that follows that journey alongside KV and Maia, while sharing more insights on and off the field, from our daily routines to the family and people who support us”.
Katelyn Vahaakolo finished with: “I’m a reflection of the love, laughter and resilience that I’m surrounded by, and I hope it shows in what I share in this doco. I love that I get to do it with two of my mates, we are all opposite of each other, but somehow make it work”.
The premiere episode introduces each of the three players as the Black Ferns begin the PAC4 Series squad process. Viewers will see candid moments with their families, honest reflections on their goals, and the deep significance of pulling on the black jersey for the first time.
Throughout the series the athletes also spend time with other rugby stars like Ardie Savea and Dan Carter, who share their wisdom before the players head to the UK.
Executive Producer Dame Julie Christie from NHNZ Worldwide, whose vision helped shape the series, says Triple Threat offers a fresh look at women’s sport.
“This series brings a fresh lens to rugby, a young female lens, a Gen Z lens, and a digital-first approach,” says Christie. “These are the stories we want to hear. Personal stories of vulnerability, strength, resilience and pride from these players that inspire and connect with a new generation of fans, whether they already have a love for rugby or not.”
How to Watch Triple Threat:
Premieres: Wednesday 13 August, 6pm on NZR+ and All Blacks YouTube with subsequent episodes shared on these channels.
Also available from 13 August on: Sky Go and Sky Sport Now
Weekly episodes on free-to-air: Sky Open, Wednesdays at 8pm from 27 August
Triple Threat was made with support from New Zealand on Air.
CINCINNATI: World number one Aryna Sabalenka kept her Cincinnati Open title defence alive by claiming a 7-6(7/3), 4-6, 7-6(7/5) victory over Emma Raducanu in a marathon third-round clash on Monday, while men’s top seed Jannik Sinner overcame Canadian Gabriel Diallo.
Fresh off their third-round clash at Wimbledon last month, Sabalenka and Raducanu produced another epic contest, featuring a 13-deuce game in the third set, before the 27-year-old Belarusian sealed victory in three hours and nine minutes.
Sabalenka relied on her trademark powerful serve to hold firm in the key moments, winning two tiebreaks to take her tally to 18 for the season, the most by any women’s singles player in the professional era.
Despite the defeat, Raducanu seems to be finding her best form just in time for this month’s US Open at Flushing Meadows, where she triumphed in 2021. The 22-year-old Briton outscored Sabalenka in total points won, 125-123.
“I’m really happy to see her healthy. I can see she’s improving,” Sabalenka said of Raducanu. “Happy to get through this match. I really hope tomorrow I have a day off.”
Sabalenka next faces Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, who ousted American wild card Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-1 in the last 16.
Men’s defending champion Sinner reached the last 16 with a 6-2, 7-6(8/6) victory over Diallo, stretching his winning streak on hardcourts to 23 matches.
The 23-year-old four-times Grand Slam champion, whose clash with Diallo was delayed by a fire alarm before the players continued through the noise, next faces Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.
“I feel like today was a very difficult day at the office,” Sinner said. “He was serving very well, especially in the second set. Against big servers you always have to find the right balance at the back of the court.
“Today I struggled a bit at times. But still very happy. I need these tough matches … Getting used to very difficult situations. I’m very happy this happened before a Grand Slam.
“I’m happy about today. Can I do things better? Yes. But not every day is the same. So I’m very, very happy.”
Former champion Madison Keys booked her place in the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Japan’s Aoi Ito, edging a tight first set before storming through the second in just 20 minutes.
Next up for the Australian Open champion is Kazakh ninth seed Elena Rybakina, who recovered from a first-set wobble to battle to a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over Belgian Elise Mertens.
“In the first set I struggled a lot. I think I never did so many double faults. Something for me to learn. Happy in the end I managed to find my game. Thank you so much guys for staying so late,” the 2022 Wimbledon champion said after beating Mertens.
TOMMY Paul of the US eyes a forehand against France’s Adrian Mannarino during their round-of-32 match at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.—AFP
Anna Kalinskaya stunned American fifth seed and Wimbledon runner-up Amanda Anisimova 7-5, 6-4 for her third win against a top-10 opponent in the season. Kalinskaya will face fellow Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in the next round.
POWER OUTAGE
Earlier, fourth seed Taylor Fritz defeated Italian Lorenzo Sonego 7-6(7/4), 7-5 after a power outage caused a one-hour delay.
The 27-year-old American did not face a break point and capitalised on his lone break opportunity before serving out the match, sealing the win in two hours and eight minutes.
“I can play better, but there has been no time to really train and get ready,” Fritz said. “I’m looking forward to fine tuning the week before the US Open.”
Compatriot Frances Tiafoe advanced past Ugo Humbert of France 6-4, 6-4 in 82 minutes and lines up next against Holger Rune, who beat Alex Michelsen 7-6(7/4), 6-3.
American 13th seed Tommy Paul was knocked out by 37-year-old Mannarino, who came back from a set down to win 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.
Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech had earlier collapsed mid-match in sweltering conditions before being forced to retire against Canadian 23rd seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who was leading 7-6(7/4), 4-2
Auger-Aliassime will be up against Benjamin Bonzi as the French ousted Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7(4/7), 6-3, 6-4.
Bonzi reached the last 16 of the Cincinnati Masters, the first one for him at the Masters 1000 level
James Stannard will head up the Western Force’s coaching staff which is full of past players for the Super Rugby AUS competition which starts next month.
The 42-year-old ex-Force half-back, who is currently the Club’s assistant coach – skills, will take on the top role with head coach Simon Cron to step back during the tournament.
Stannard joined the Force in November prior to the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season, having previously worked within the Australian rugby sevens set-up, including at two Olympic Games.
During his playing days, Stannard was a half-back who played 29 Super Rugby games for the Force across two stints in 2008 and then 2011-2012, along with the ACT Brumbies (2009-2010). He had a decorated career in rugby sevens, including playing at the 2016 Rio Olympics and being named the 2010 Australian Sevens Player of the Year.
Stannard will be assisted by Fortescue Academy head coach Jeremy Thrush and Fortescue Academy assistant coach Jonathon Lance, who are both ex-Force players.
Former All Blacks lock Thrush played 33 Super Rugby games for the Force (2020-2023) and was recently part of Australia’s coaching staff at the World Rugby U20 Championship. Lance made 28 Super Rugby appearances for the Force (2016-2021) and has recently led the Academy program in Thrush’s absence.
Force Super W head coach Dylan Parsons and Super W assistant coach Chris Heiberg will also provide support in the five-man coaching staff.
Perth-born-and-bred Parsons led the Force to the Club’s maiden Super W semi-finals appearance in 2024, backing that up in 2025, with support from Heiberg who played 31 Super Rugby games for the Force as a prop in two stints from 2014 to 2016 and 2018 to 2021.
Heiberg was also part of the Force men’s coaching staff during last year’s spring tour of South Africa.
Force general manager of rugby Chris Goodman said: “We’re excited to compete in the upcoming Super Rugby AUS competition and utilise it not only to develop our players but also our coaches and staff.
“Chucky (Stannard) is really experienced from his time in the Australia rugby sevens team and he impressed everyone after joining us for the 2025 season.
“We know he’ll work well with Jeremy, Jono, Dylan and Chris who are all connected given they already work within our four walls, enabling a continuity of approach and internal development.”
The Force commenced their Super Rugby AUS training block last week with the side’s first game away to the NSW Waratahs on Saturday 13 September live on Stan Sport, before home games at Palmyra RUFC against the ACT Brumbies and Queensland Reds on Sunday 21 September and Sunday 28 September respectively.
Click here for more information on Super Rugby AUS
