(by Steve Hopkins)

ITTF announced on Friday that three of the most prestigious events of the year will be scheduled for November.  These events, the Uncle Pop 2020 ITTF Women’s World Cup, the Liebherr 2020 ITTF Men’s World Cup, and the 2020 ITTF Finals will all be held in China.

The World Cups will feature 20 female and 20 male athletes.  The competitors will include those that qualify by ranking and by continental events with a maximum of two players per national association.

A series of health and safety measures will be put into place prior to November, and the plan mirrors other professional associations who have isolated players and staff in a controlled environment.  In this case, the three major events will all be held in close proximity in the same country, and the main participants will be the same in the World Cup events as in the ITTF Finals.

After months of cancellations and postponements, it looks like 2020 will end with some excitement at the tables.