How it works, what you need to know

Qualification for all events is based on a mix of results from designated continental and international tournaments, plus the world rankings. Each country is represented by a maximum of three men and three women.

Losers of the semi-finals in all events play a bronze medal match.

Who are the best athletes on Team USA in table tennis?

Although he wasn’t expected to compete for a medal, Kanak Jha secured a spot in the men’s singles event through the ITTF Americas Olympic qualifying tournament and will be competing in his third Olympics. He lost his eligibility in 2016 as a 16-year-old, but won two preliminary rounds in Tokyo to reach the last 32. By earning a spot through the Pan American Games, the U.S. will compete in the women’s team competition and have two singles competitors. Those spots will be filled by four-time Olympians Lily Zhang and Amy Wang, both of whom are ranked in the top 40.

What is the international landscape of Olympic table tennis?

This has been more or less a one-nation show. Since joining the Summer Games, China has won 32 of the 37 gold medals and 20 of the 37 silver. Sun Yingsha, who finished second in Tokyo, comes to Paris as a distant No. 1 among the women, while Wang Chuqin has climbed to the highest men’s ranking in the world since being selected as a reserve for China in 2021.