WTT Series 2026 is set to kick off with two events in Doha as the Lusail Sports Arena gets ready to host WTT Champions Doha 2026 from 7-11 January, followed by WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 from January 13-18.
As the action draws closer, a host of stars have been added to the Star Contender roster via WTT Nominations and Host Wildcards.
Headlining the Men’s Singles main draw, Hugo Calderano has been gifted the Host Wildcard as he looks to take his record-breaking form of 2025 into Doha.
World No.3 Calderano made history in April when he became the first Pan American to win the ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup Macao 2025 Presented by Galaxy Entertainment Group. The Brazilian also made waves on the WTT Star Contender Series last year, winning Men’s Singles titles at WTT Contender Buenos Aires 2025 and WTT Star Contender Foz do Iguaçu 2025.
Also joining Calderano with a Host Wildcard is Germany’s Benedikt Duda. The World No.12 lost in the final of WTT Star Contender Foz do Iguaçu 2025 to Calderano, but lifted the Men’s Doubles title with partner Dang Qiu.
Qatari players Mohammed Abdulwahhab and Sultan Al-Kuwari will also be hoping they can leverage the support of the home crowd to make an impact on the event. In last year’s Men’s Singles competition, Abdulwahhab made it through qualifying before being knocked out in the round of 64.
Entering the Men’s Singles Main Draw with a WTT Nomination are World No.16 Anders Lind and World No.17 Simon Gauzy.
Anders Lind will be hoping to leave his mark on WTT Star Contender Doha 2026.
In the Women’s Singles, Puerto Rican Adriana Diaz and India’s Ayhika Mukherjee are the two heading to Doha with a WTT Nomination.
Diaz featured in 13 events on the WTT Series in 2025, with her best finish coming in quarterfinal appearances at WTT Champions Frankfurt 2025 and WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 Presented by IndianOil. The exciting 25-year-old will be hoping Doha is the place where she wins her first Women’s Singles title on the WTT Series.
Adriana Diaz has been ranked as high as World No.9.
Wrapping up the Women’s Singles roster with Host Wildcards are Tatiana Kukulkova, Elizabet Abraamian and local players Aia Mohamed and Rokaia Elbaz.
As for the WTT Youth nominations, China’s Wen Ruibo and Korea’s Yoo Yerin will feature in the Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles events, respectively.
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