Table Tennis Returning to Fort Worth

USA Table Tennis (“USATT”) and the Fort Worth Sports Commission today jointly announced that the 2023 US National Table Tennis Championships will be held in the Fort Worth Convention Center in downtown Fort Worth, Texas. The 2023 US National Championships will mark the third time in the last four years that USATT has brought an elite-level table tennis event to this famous and historic Texas town “Where the West Begins”. The Prospectus for the 2023 US Nationals, which will run from July 3 through July 7, 2023, will be posted in the near future.

This summer’s elite table tennis action in Fort Worth will also include the 2023 ITTF Para US Open, which will feature the top Para table tennis athletes in the world. The United States should be well represented in this year’s ITTF Para US Open as US Paralympic Medalists Ian Seidenfeld, Jenson Van Emburgh and Tahl Leibovitz are all expected to make their presence felt in Texas. The Para Open, which will be held in the Fort Worth Convention Center from July 3 – 5, will feature a full schedule of events for all eleven classifications for para athletes.

“I can’t tell you how excited we are to host another big table tennis tournament in Fort Worth,” said USATT Chief Executive Officer Virginia Sung. “And this year’s tournament really is going to be a big attraction, particularly since we are adding an elite-level international para event to the schedule of activities. We have an amazing partnership with Fort Worth Sports and all of the people who support athletic events in Fort Worth, particularly the leadership and staff at the Fort Worth Convention Center. At last year’s Nationals, playing inside the Arena attached to the Convention Center proved to be a big hit – and we intend to make the Arena have even more of a ‘Show Court’ feel for the 2023 Nationals and US Para Open. USATT has found the gracious and hospitable people of north Texas to be genuine friends of our members, our tournament participants and patrons, and our sport.”

“We’re thrilled to host the US National Table Tennis Championships and the ITTF Para US Open,” said the Fort Worth Sports Commission Executive Director Jason Sands. “We feel like if it’s July in Texas, you should be playing table tennis in Fort Worth! We’re looking forward to another exciting tournament, particularly the championship finals that should be quite a spectacle inside the Fort Worth Convention Center’s Arena.”

USATT members and tournament participants have become well familiar with Fort Worth, which is the fifth largest city in Texas. Fort Worth is world famous for the city’s “Old West” heritage, boasting historic attractions such as the Stockyards, which was once the largest livestock markets in the United States and has evolved into one of the liveliest entertainment centers in the State of Texas. Visitors are also drawn to amazing attractions like the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, as well as the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, Fort Worth also boasts several internationally recognized museums and theatres.

The Fort Worth Convention Center, which opened in 1968, has hosted some of the biggest names in entertainment history, including Elvis Presley, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, and U2. The Convention Center has served as the host for all sorts of sporting events, including professional basketball and hockey and currently has an indoor football team in the American Arena League, the North Texas Bulls. The Convention Center has helped put on major events for sports in the Olympic movement, including gymnastics and volleyball.

As with last year’s Nationals, this year’s event will place the premier Show Courts inside the Arena attached to the Convention Center. Last year, playing in the Arena was considered a “bucket list” opportunity for many participants, and this year additional focus will be placed on ensuring that as many competitors as possible get a chance to play in the Arena – particularly those who are vying to win a Championship event.