International Para Table Tennis Tournament First Held in Japan World's Top Players Battle It Out

This marked the first time Japan hosted an international Para Table Tennis event. As a tournament offering ranking points for qualification to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, it drew approximately 180 top players from 23 countries and regions, who engaged in three days of intense competition.

The sport is for athletes with physical or intellectual disabilities, categorized into classes based on the type and degree of disability. There are 11 classes total: 5 for wheelchair players, 5 for standing players, and 1 for intellectual disability. Both individual and team events are held. Para table tennis is one of the few sports, alongside track and field and swimming, that includes a class for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
Matches are played to 11 points per game, with the first to win three games claiming victory. While the basic rules and table tennis tables are the same as for able-bodied players, some rules are modified according to the athletes' disabilities.

The appeal of the sport lies in the mental battle, where each athlete fights using a unique playing style adapted to their specific disability. Players observe their opponent's disability and playing style to identify weaknesses and attack them, while also calmly analyzing their own weaknesses and striving to respond effectively to attacks.
In the standing men's category, the speed rivals that of able-bodied players, while rallies at close range by wheelchair and lower-limb athletes are incredibly intense.
The venue buzzed with the roars of players scoring points, mixed with the cheers of spectators and fellow athletes, creating the excitement typical of an international tournament. Japanese players placed highly in many classes, including victories, laying the groundwork for the 2020 Paralympics.