Hugo Calderano wins WTT title in Durban, South Africa

Brazil’s Hugo Calderano won the WTT Table Tennis Contender title, disputed this week in Durban, South Africa. The final, held on Sunday morning (Jan. 15), pitted Calderano against Ukraine's Yaroslav Zhmudenko, number 145 in the world. Hugo, ranked 7th in the world, had no difficulties to win by 4-0.

The title crowned a high level campaign of Calderano in South Africa. In all, he was defeated in only three of the 19 sets he played. In his career, he now has three WTT Contender Circuit titles. Besides the one he won on Sunday, he also won in 2021 in Doha, Qatar, and last year in Tunis, Tunisia, in a Star Contender tournament.

Now, the Brazilian has as his next commitment precisely the WTT 2023 edition in Doha, which also started on Sunday, ending on Saturday (21). Two of Calderano's compatriots will also be in the dispute: Vitor Ishiy, number 66 in the world among men, and Bruna Takahashi, the 23rd best in the world ranking among women.