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Laman Ismayilova

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The Azerbaijan National Table Tennis Championship has officially begun, bringing together top players from across the country, AzerNEWS reports.

The competition is being held at the Shua Sports Complex in Baku, with participants representing not only the capital but also other cities and regions of Azerbaijan.

The championship features competitions in team, singles, doubles, and mixed doubles categories and is scheduled to conclude on March 6.

Outstanding athletes will be recognized with diplomas and medals from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as well as awards from the ASTF.

The Azerbaijan Table Tennis Federation (ASTF) was established in the early 1950s, following the organization of a Baku section for table tennis. This came after a growing interest in the sport in the 1930s and 1940s.

Officially, ASTF has been a member of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) since 1995, and at the same time a member of the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU).

One of the main goals of ASTF is to organize and develop table tennis across the country: to build a stable and well‑equipped national federation; to ensure proper material and technical support and training for the national teams; to promote the sport at the grassroots level, including among youth; and to involve Azerbaijani athletes in national and international competitions.

Over the years, the Azerbaijan Table Tennis Federation has achieved significant successes. Under its guidance, Azerbaijan began taking part in international competitions: the national team started participating in European championships in 1996 and in world championships since 1997.

ASTF regularly organizes national tournaments and championships across age groups.

The Azerbaijani players have also made progress: through participation in European and global competitions, winning medals and raising the profile of table tennis in Azerbaijan.

In recent years, ASTF remains active in promoting the sport, organizing age‑group competitions, youth tournaments and national cups, continuously working toward discovering and nurturing promising new talents.

In 2025, the federation hosted the Azerbaijan Table Tennis Cup among athletes aged 14 and 18 from Baku, as well as from various cities and districts.

The four-day tournament determined the winners and medalists in team, individual, doubles, and mixed doubles events. Successful athletes were awarded diplomas, medals, and gifts.