Majd Al Balooshi could barely conceal her joy as she looked around the crowded Dubai Ice Rink, which was teeming with people from many nationalities.
There were a few curious onlookers among them, keen to know why Dubai Mall’s famous landmark was covered by a thick carpet on which were laid out eight free-to-play ping pong tables.
The majority, though, seemed passionate followers of the sport and were busy seeking tips and taking selfies with the superstars of table tennis.
Xu Xin and Ma Long, the men’s world No 1 and No 2, and the reigning World and Olympic champion Zhang Jike were at the rink, obliging their fans.
They were joined by the top three-ranked women players, Ding Ning, Liu Shiwen and Li Xiaoxia.
They, like Al Balooshi, had come to the mall to take part in the Ping Pong Dubai Festival, a community initiative conceived by Falcon and Associates, the UAE Table Tennis Association and Dubai Sports Council to promote the sport to the public.
“I believe Ping Pong Dubai Festival is a great opportunity for the community to know the players, to know about table tennis, meet world champions and get involved in the sport,” said Al Balooshi, the UAE’s top-ranked paddler among the ladies, who will be representing the host country at the ITTF’s World Team Cup, which starts today in Al Nasr.
“I believe this is a really good initiative. People will know more about table tennis and parents, I believe, will be encouraged to allow their children to get involved with table tennis because of these events.
“Table tennis has huge potential as a sport here in the UAE. It is a sport that is for everyone, no matter your age, ability or fitness levels. It is an indoor sport, so good even for women, comfortable for them.
“So events like Ping Pong Dubai are really encouraging the people. As you can see, we have more than a few Emiratis here, families with their children.
“Who knows, maybe we have a future champion among them.”
For the present, Al Balooshi will be flying the UAE flag against the world’s best teams, including China who have won the women’s title on eight of the nine occasions the tournament has been staged.
The four members of the UAE women’s team – Al Balooshi, Noura Al Maazmi, Shamma Al Mazrouei and Amira Al Mazrouei – are from Sharjah Ladies Club because it is the only club with a women’s table tennis team.
“Other clubs, they might have basketball or volleyball, but table tennis is only at the Sharjah Ladies Club,” said Al Balooshi, 22, who is a student of the College of Architectural Engineering at the University of Sharjah and had rushed to Dubai Mall after sitting for an exam at college.
“It’s exam time for us and that’s one of the reasons behind not being able to prepare as well as we would have liked,” Al Balooshi said.
“But there is a big difference in the level between us and the other teams here. They are the best in the world, so for us, it is a great opportunity to learn.”
Jassem Linjawi, Marawan Mansour, Abdulla Al Balooshi, Abdullah Al Mohaiseni and Said Ibrahim will be representing the UAE men’s team at the World Team Cup.
arizvi@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter at SprtNationalUAE
