(by Steve Hopkins)

With 1.5 million USD in prize money, a star-studded lineup is heading for the 2024 Singapore Smash.  All 20 men in the current Top 20 Rankings will be present.  In fact, only two players in the World’s Top 50 will not be present.  On the women’s side, the representation is similar – 1-8 are all in attendance, and 44 of the Top 50 will be there.

A year ago, Fan Zhendong entered as top seed (and World No. 1) and he didn’t lose a game until the Semifinal – where he fought from behind to best Truls Moregard.  Ma Long went through the other half of the draw, taking out Hugo Calderano in the Quarters and then Wang Chuqin in the Semifinal.  Fan Zhendong faced Ma Long in the Final, just as he had in 2022 – and the result was the same, Fan Zhendong wins in Singapore. This year, Fan and Ma Long are both present again – and they’ll be in opposite brackets again. 

Will we see a third Fan Zhendong versus Ma Long Final or is this going to be a breakthrough year for World No. 2 Wang Chuqin.

Early action starts on Thursday.  Check in at ButterflyOnline.com for the latest table tennis news and results.