Asian debut for the circuit
The upcoming ITTF World Para Future Taipei 2025 (June 26-29) brings something special to this season’s calendar. After successful tournaments in Europe and the Americas, the circuit now makes its Asian debut – and Chinese Taipei couldn’t be a more fitting host.
Chinese Taipei has built a legendary reputation for staging world-class Para table tennis events, with Taichung and Taipei becoming household names among players and fans alike. Now they’re taking that expertise south, with Kaohsiung set to showcase what promises to be another memorable tournament.
Home fans will have every reason to believe this could be their moment. Two Paris 2024 Paralympic silver medallists headline the local charge, and both will be desperate to turn that silver into gold on home tables.
Cheng Ming Chih (C5) (pictured above) and Chen Po Yen (C11) return to action in familiar surroundings after their outstanding performances in France. The duo demonstrated just how far Chinese Taipei Para table tennis has come, and they’ll be the players everyone will be watching as the tournament unfolds.
But they won’t have it all their own way. Two Korea Republic stars are heading to Taiwan with serious medal ambitions of their own.
Kim Jung-Gil (C4) and Cha Soo Yong (C2) both claimed Paralympic bronze in Paris, and they’ll be looking to use that momentum as the circuit moves into their backyard. These are players who know how to deliver when it matters most – and their presence guarantees the competition level will be absolutely elite.
It’s exactly this kind of star power that makes the Future series so compelling. Emerging athletes get the chance to test themselves against Paralympic medallists, while those medallists use these events to stay sharp and continue their development.
Santiago delivers the drama
The women’s events delivered some of the tournament’s most compelling storylines. Brazil’s Jennyfer Parinos showed exactly why she’s considered one of South America’s rising stars, teaming up with Gabriel de Oliveira Antunes to claim mixed doubles XD14-20 gold with a commanding 3-0 victory over compatriots Luiz Filipe Guarnieri and Danielle Rauen in an all-Brazilian final.
Rauen herself proved that experience counts for everything, adding another chapter to her already impressive resume. The veteran Brazilian has been a constant presence on the podium for years, and her silver medal performance showed she’s far from finished competing at the highest level.
But if you want to talk about drama, look no further than the men’s doubles MD18 final. Brazil’s Claudio Massad and Luiz Filipe Guarnieri looked to be cruising to gold after taking a 2-0 lead. Then Chile’s Manuel Echaveguren and Claudio Benjamin Bahamondes Vega had other ideas.
What followed was one of those matches that reminds you why you love this sport. The Chilean pair clawed their way back, set by set, before sealing an incredible 3-2 victory that had the crowd on their feet. Pure theatre.
The mixed doubles events showcased the strength of partnerships across the region, with Brazil’s Thais Fraga Severo and Fabio Silva completing a Brazilian sweep in the XD4-10 category, defeating Chile’s Luis Flores and Tamara Leonelli 3-0. Severo’s performance throughout the tournament highlighted the strength in depth of Brazil’s women’s program.
Argentina’s Gabriel Copola proved that home advantage still means something, teaming up with rising star Elias Romero to deliver their own five-set masterclass in the MD4-8 division. They outlasted Brazil’s Fabio Silva and Carlos Eduardo Freire de Moraes 3-2 in another nail-biter that showcased the incredible depth of Pan American Para table tennis.
European excellence in Ostrava
The action then shifted to Europe for the ITTF World Para Future Ostrava 2025 (June 19-21), where the Czech Republic proved to be the perfect hosts for another thrilling chapter in this month’s story.
Poland absolutely dominated the medal tables – and they did it in style across both men’s and women’s events. Their athletes didn’t just win, they delivered some of the tournament’s most memorable moments along the way.
The men’s doubles MD8 final showcased exactly why Polish Para table tennis is in such great shape. Krzysztof Zylka and Maciej Nalepka found themselves trailing 0-2 to Serbia’s Mladen Ciric and Nemanja Curic, but what happened next was pure Polish resilience. They clawed back to force a decider before sealing a dramatic 3-2 victory that had everyone on their feet.
The women’s events delivered equally compelling drama. Czech Republic’s Nela Kemlinkova and Tereza Cakorova produced a masterclass in fighting spirit during the WD14-20 final, defeating Spain’s Olaia Martinez and Maria Migueles 3-1 in a match that swung back and forth throughout, giving the home crowd something special to celebrate.
Poland’s mixed doubles success was particularly impressive, with Maksym Chudzicki and Katarzyna Marszal claiming XD14 gold with a commanding 3-0 performance against Norway’s Krizander Magnussen and Nora Korneliussen. Piotr Grudzien and Karolina Pek added the XD17-20 title in another all-Polish triumph, showing the depth of talent across their entire program.
France’s Mateo Boheas and Thomas Bouvais produced one of the tournament’s standout performances in the men’s MD18, claiming gold after a stunning comeback victory over Poland’s Igor Misztal and Maksym Chudzicki 3-1.
The individual events showcased brilliant performances across all classifications. Germany’s Jan Reinig took MS9 gold, while Norway’s Krizander Magnussen continued his excellent form by claiming MS7 gold. On the women’s side, Turkey’s Ebru Acer completed a dominant WS11 victory, while Norway’s Aida Dahlen claimed WS8 gold and Germany’s Jana Spegel took the WS1-2 title.
The Czech Republic, stepping up as hosts, demonstrated exactly why they’ve become such a popular destination for international Para table tennis events. World-class organization met passionate crowds, creating the perfect environment for athletes to showcase their skills at the highest level.
What comes next
As Taipei prepares to wrap up this incredible month, there’s already more excitement on the horizon. Following the conclusion of the ITTF World Para Future Taipei 2025, the action stays put in Chinese Taipei as they host the ITTF World Para Challenger Kaohsiung 2025 (July 2-5).
It’s the perfect one-two punch – athletes can use the Future event to fine-tune their games before stepping up to the elevated competition level of the Challenger tournament. Chinese Taipei is fast becoming the must-visit destination for Para table tennis in Asia, and events like these show exactly why.
The Future series continues to prove that the future of Para table tennis is in excellent hands, with each tournament adding another chapter to an ever-growing story of sporting excellence.
