WTT Youth Contender Vientiane 2026:
Faraji wins U19 boys’ title
Iranian table tennis prodigy Benyamin Faraji claimed the U19 boys’ singles title at the latest WTT Youth Contender event in Vientiane, Laos.
The teenage sensation came from behind to beat India’s Abhinandh Pradhivadhi 3-2 (15-13, 9-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9) in the final.
Faraji began his campaign with a 3-0 (11-5, 11-8, 11-5) victory over Hong Kong’s Wong Wan Hei in the round of 32 before defeating Wong Alvin, also from Hong Kong, by the same scoreline (11-3, 12-10, 11-9) to progress to the quarterfinals.
He then rallied past South Korea’s Ma Yeongmin 3-1 (7-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-9) to reach the last four, where he defeated Chinese Taipei’s Chang Bing-En in straight games (11-6, 12-10, 13-11) to book his place in the final against the Indian.
The event served as part of Faraji’s preparation ahead of the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, which will open on September 19.
Faraji also competed in the U16 boys’ singles event in Vientiane but suffered an early exit after surrendering a two-game lead in a 3-2 defeat (2-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-7) to Chinese Taipei’s Lu Shih-Yuan.
Faraz Shakiba and Mohammad Habibi were the other Iranians in action in the U19 boys’ singles event, but both saw their campaigns end after just one match.
Handed a bye into the round of 32, Shakiba suffered a 3-2 defeat (11-8, 11-8, 7-11, 7-11, 11-5) to Chinese Taipei’s Shih Jia-Hong, while Habibi exited at the same stage after a 3-0 loss (12-10, 11-9, 11-9) to Yang Hao-Jen.