SINGAPORE – As global stars collide at the Feb 19-March 1 World Table Tennis (WTT) Singapore Smash, the local hopefuls will use

the US$1.55 million (S$1.96 million) event

at The Kallang’s OCBC Arena to gauge their international standing as they work towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The return of the men’s and women’s doubles to the Olympic programme for the first time since Athens 2004 is an especially exciting prospect, given how Koen Pang and Izaac Quek have risen to a career-high world No. 4.