Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, September 12, 2021: The first ITTF Kazakhstan International Open will get underway this week featuring more than 70 athletes from nine countries.
The tournament - to be held from September 15-19 at the new Saryarka table tennis centre in Karaganda - will be the only International Table Tennis Federation ranking tournament in the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) this year.
Athletes from Austria, Saudi Arabia, India, Belarus, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and hosts Kazakhstan will compete in the event which offers prize money of US$30,000.
“This is not the first time that Kazakhstan has organised such an international table tennis event. In 2017, Nur-Sultan hosted the ITTF World Tour Grand Finals with the participation of the world’s best athletes. Now we plan to hold the Kazakhstan Open every year,” revealed Daniyar Abulgazin, President of the Kazakhstan Table Tennis Federation.
“Experience has shown that this, along with strengthening the material and technical base in the regions, provides additional incentives for the development of one of the largest Olympic sports in the country. The centre in Karaganda, opened by President Kassym-Zhomart Kemelovich Tokayev last year, meets all international standards and is capable of holding competitions at any level,” Abulgazin added.
Two-time Olympian Kirill Gerasimenko and Tokyo Olympics participant Anastasia Lavrova will lead a 24-strong Kazakhstan contingent at the tournament. Among the others in the home team are the Kenzhegulov brothers, Aidos and Dastan, and young pride of the country Alan Kurmangaliyev.
