The surprises keep rolling in on Day 3 of the ITTF World Championships Finals Doha 2025, with Croatia’s Lea RAKOVAC pulling off one of the most resounding wins of the tournament so far. Facing Japan’s Miu HIRANO, a former World Championships bronze medallist, RAKOVAC delivered a commanding 4-2 victory (11-8, 7-11, 12-10, 5-11, 11-6, 11-7) in the Round of 64. Ranked World No.137 and over a hundred places below her opponent, RAKOVAC entered the match as a clear underdog. But from the very first point, she seized control with confident and calculated play. The Croatian not only maintained pressure throughout but dismantled Hirano’s rhythm with her aggressive pace and tactical awareness. “I prepared my tactics well, and I had a good warm-up. I just wanted to play my game,” said RAKOVAC after the match. “And as usual, as with every match, I always have respect against everybody. It doesn’t matter which player I play against. But today, my tactic was good. I was better and faster. Table tennis is a very complex sport. So, my expectations are always the same, which is every single day, especially when I come to the tournament, I prepare myself earlier, and in this kind of championships, like World Championships, I just try to enjoy the match and fight hard.” The result marks an early and unexpected departure for HIRANO, who claimed bronze in 2017 and was widely expected to advance deep into the draw once again. Lea RAKOVAC was once considered one of Croatia’s brightest table tennis prospects. Back in 2017, however, she made the surprising decision to step away from the sport at the height of her early career—a move that stunned many in the national table tennis community, especially given the trajectory she was on.As a junior, she had won the prestigious Top 10 tournament featuring Europe’s best players, finishing undefeated with nine wins. She was also a European silver medallist in singles and a European champion in mixed doubles alongside Tomislav PUCAR. In addition she played at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics. Everything pointed to a bright future—until she suddenly said, “Enough.” She stepped away completely, staying active with other sports like badminton, squash, and padel, but table tennis was off the table—literally—for nearly four years. Her return came unexpectedly, just as her exit had. During the COVID-19 pandemic, RAKOVAC found herself with more time and space to reflect. In 2021, she signed with Croatian club Aquaestil and began a determined comeback. In 2023 RAKOVAC has also returned to the national team.

Tom JARVIS delivered one of the standout performances of the ITTF World Championships Finals Doha 2025, pulling off the biggest upset of the tournament so far with a dramatic 4-3 victory over No.10 seed Dang QIU (11-9, 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 1-11, 6-11, 11-8). Tom JARVIS: “I’ve been watching Dang QIU for years. He’s a European champion and is someone all of us from Europe look up to, and you see the hard work he puts in. I don’t really know how to go into these matches. I had a lot of chat with my coaches and the sports psychologist, just trying not to think about who I’m playing and just trying and do what I can do, and only focus on that, and then whatever happens, happens. My heart was in my throat at 3-0, and then I got smacked around for two sets. But yeah, to come back strong in the seventh, it was amazing. I knew I just had to try and find what had been working so well in the first three games. And I knew that if I played my highest quality, then he would have problems. So, I was only trying to think about that and trying to deliver. It has been an absolute dream. I’ve been watching the World Championship since like 2009. I used to sit with my brother watching all the matches, and to be part of this is amazing. Thank you for your support. I was just a little kid from Skegness. I picked up the sport and fell in love with it. If I can do it, you can too.” Coming into the match as a clear underdog, JARVIS faced a major challenge in QIU, 2022 European champion from Munich. But from the very start, it was JARVIS who dictated the pace. With aggressive and fearless play, he raced to a commanding 10-3 lead in the first game. Although QIU responded with a flurry of points to narrow the gap to 10-9, JARVIS held his nerve to secure the opener. Currently ranked World No.143, the Englishman seemed inspired by the big stage. With a combination of smart tactics and relentless energy, he claimed the next two games, edging ever closer to a stunning upset. QIU, however, wasn’t done yet. Drawing on his experience and resilience, he mounted a comeback in the fourth game and continued his charge to win the fifth and sixth in dominant fashion, completely flipping the momentum. With the match tied at 3-3, it all came down to a decisive final game. Refusing to let the momentum slip away for good, JARVIS reset mentally, brought renewed intensity to the table, and played his best table tennis of the match just when it mattered most. With that final push, JARVIS sealed an unforgettable win.

Germany’s most prominent player is out of the tournament: Dimitrij OVTCHAROV was forced to withdraw from the Individual World Championships in Doha due to injury. Following an unsuccessful doubles test match alongside Patrick FRANZISKA—which ended in a 0–3 loss to Australian outsiders Hwan BAE and Aditya SAREEN—the 36-year-old former world No. 1 canceled his singles participation. His first-round opponent, Austria’s Daniel HABESOHN, advanced to the Round of 64 at the Lusail Sports Arena without playing. “I’m extremely disappointed because, as always, I had prepared well,” said OVTCHAROV. A disc problem radiating into his arm and wrist severely limited his mobility: “That’s just not enough to be competitive at a World Championship.” His withdrawal is a major blow for the five-time World Championship medalist, who, together with FRANZISKA, claimed Germany’s only medal (bronze) at the 2023 World Championships in Durban.

Day 2 of the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 nearly delivered a major upset in the Men’s Doubles draw, as top-seeded French duo Alexis and Félix LEBRUN were pushed to the brink by Spain’s Juan PEREZ and Daniel BERZOSA, before narrowly avoiding elimination (7-11, 5-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-7). Reigning European champions and recent winners of the WTT Finals Fukuoka, the LEBRUN brothers entered the tournament as strong favourites to contend for gold. However, their title campaign began with a serious reality check. The young Spanish pair, well aware of the challenge before them, rose to the occasion with fearless play and aggressive tactics. Dominating the opening two games, PEREZ and BERZOSA stunned the crowd at Lusail Arena, momentarily placing the French stars on the edge of a first-round exit. With momentum firmly against them, Alexis and Félix had no margin for error. Displaying the resilience of champions, they regrouped in the third game and began to find their rhythm. Once the momentum shifted, they tightened their grip on the match, taking the fourth and then closing out the decider with confidence to complete the comeback and move into the next round. There was clear relief in their celebrations — the LEBRUNS had survived a massive scare and will now shift focus to their next opponents: Benyamin FARAJI and Amirmahdi KESHAVARZI. Alexis LEBRUN: “I hadn’t played a match in a long time, so it was not easy to start and they also played very well in the second game, they destroyed us. We talked with our coach and we said, “okay, we need to accept that they play good and fight with this,” and we started to play better and better. I think we played three good games after, and I’m very happy about this.” Felix LEBRUN: “We were pushing each other to stay in the match, to stay focused. We know it’s not easy to finish a match when we are close to making a big performance, so we were just thinking about it game by game and we would see what happens.” However in Men’s Doubles, there was a surprise exit for Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and Patrick FRANZISKA, who were knocked out by the inspired Australian pairing of Hwan BAE and Aditya SAREEN. The Aussies produced a high-energy performance, winning 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 14-12) and claiming one of the most notable upsets of the day. Sweden’s Mattias FALCK advanced to the Round of 64 after a hard-fought 4-3 victory over Argentina’s Santiago LORENZO (14-12, 11-8, 11-3, 2-11, 10-12, 7-11, 11-3). “The first game was a bit up and down, we were both nervous. I didn’t feel great at the start, but still managed to lead 3-0. Then he changed his serve and it threw me off. I told myself I had to be proud no matter what—go for it, play my game, and if I lose, at least I gave everything,” said FALCK. “I’m happy to be here for another World Championships. I had good tournaments recently, especially in Tunis, and I’m feeling optimistic. The level is so close now. Next, I face DAESONG, and if I win, FRANZISKA is waiting in the third round. Plus, in doubles with Kristian KARLSSON, we’re aiming for a medal.” France’s Simon GAUZY had a convincing start with a 4-0 win over Egypt’s Mahmoud HELMY (11-6, 11-6, 11-2, 11-6). “You’re always a little nervous at the World Championships, no matter how many you’ve played. So I’m very pleased with how I performed today,” said GAUZY. “I left Durban last time with regrets. I was playing well but couldn’t close out my second-round match. But now, I’ve been playing at a high level for several months. Whether it’s CHAN or LIND next, it’s going to be tough. I’ve beaten Anders before, but also lost to him—so it’s all about focus. I just want to enjoy each round and give my best.” In Women’s Singles Hana MATELOVA of Czechia defeats Dina MESHREF of Egypt 4-0 (11-7, 11-3, 11-3, 11-7) in Women’s Singles, Round of 128 “We played at the Star Contender a year ago, and she completely dominated me. But today, it was the other way around. This was our rematch, and I think I was more aggressive and active from the start. I played with a lot of intensity, especially on serve and receive and that made the difference today. I really want to enjoy this victory. It’s my last World Championships, so I want to go as far as I possibly can. Tomorrow, we have the doubles as well, and I’m looking forward to that next challenge.”