Latest news with #Calderano
The Guardian
05-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Brazilian table tennis star denied entry to US due to having competed in Cuba
Brazilian Hugo Calderano, who won the gold medal in the 2025 table tennis World Cup, said he will miss the WTT US smash event in Las Vegas this month following delays in getting a visa to the United States. Calderano, a 2025 world championships silver medallist who also holds a Portuguese passport, said he had been informed by US authorities that he was no longer eligible for visa waiver for European Union countries, due to a trip to Cuba in 2023 to compete in international competitions and qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympics. The 29-year-old said he then tried to get an emergency visa but ran out of time with the event already under way on Thursday. 'I followed the same protocol as all my previous trips to the United States using my Portuguese passport,' Calderano said in a statement on his website late on Thursday. 'When I was informed of the situation, I mobilized my entire team to obtain an emergency visa, but unfortunately, there was not enough time.' 'It is frustrating to be left out of one of the most important competitions of the season for reasons beyond my control, especially coming off such positive results,' he added. The US Smash event is one of the highlights of the year for the WTT, a body created by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), to stage commercial competitions to broaden the appeal of the sport, with higher prize money. The United States will also play host to the 2026 soccer World Cup while Los Angeles will stage the 2028 summer Olympics with athletes from more than 200 countries set to take part. Reuters has contacted the US state department for a comment. The ITTF could not immediately be reached for a comment.
Straits Times
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Table tennis World Cup winner Hugo Calderano to miss Las Vegas event over visa issues
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Brazil's Hugo Calderano reacts after a point in his loss to China's Wang Chuqin in the men's singles final at the World Table Tennis Championships in Doha on May 25, 2025. BERLIN – Brazilian Hugo Calderano, who won the gold medal in the 2025 table tennis World Cup, said he will miss the WTT US Smash event in Las Vegas this month following delays in getting a visa to the United States. Calderano, a 2025 world championships silver medallist who also holds a Portuguese passport, said he had been informed by the US authorities that he was no longer eligible for visa waiver for European Union countries, due to a trip to Cuba in 2023 to compete in international competitions and qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympics. The 29-year-old said he then tried to get an emergency visa but ran out of time with the event already under way on July 3. 'I followed the same protocol as all my previous trips to the United States using my Portuguese passport,' Calderano said in a statement on his website late on July 3. 'When I was informed of the situation, I mobilised my entire team to obtain an emergency visa, but unfortunately, there was not enough time.' 'It is frustrating to be left out of one of the most important competitions of the season for reasons beyond my control, especially coming off such positive results,' he added. The US Smash event is one of the highlights of the year for the WTT, a body created by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) to stage commercial competitions to broaden the appeal of the sport, with higher prize money. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Asean needs 'bolder reforms' to attract investments in a more fragmented global economy: PM Wong Singapore CPF members can make housing, retirement and health insurance plans with new digital platform Singapore CPF's central philosophy of self-reliance remains as pertinent as ever: SM Lee Asia Dalai Lama hopes to live beyond 130 years, much longer than predicted Sport Liverpool will move on after Jota's tragic death, but he will never be forgotten Singapore Tan Cheng Bock, Hazel Poa step down from PSP leadership; party launches 'renewal plan' Singapore As her muscles weaken, 26-year-old leans on best friend for strength and support Life Japanese food in Singapore under $20: 5 hawker stalls serving restaurant-quality sashimi and donburi The US will also play host to the 2026 soccer World Cup, while Los Angeles will stage the 2028 Summer Olympics with athletes from more than 200 countries and territories set to take part. Reuters has contacted the US State Department for a comment. The ITTF could not immediately be reached for a comment. REUTERS
The Star
04-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Table tennis-World Cup winner Calderano to miss Las Vegas event over visa issues
BERLIN (Reuters) -Brazilian Hugo Calderano, who won the gold medal in the 2025 table tennis World Cup, said he will miss the WTT U.S. smash event in Las Vegas this month following delays in getting a visa to the United States. Calderano, a 2025 world championships silver medallist who also holds a Portuguese passport, said he had been informed by U.S. authorities that he was no longer eligible for visa waiver for European Union countries, due to a trip to Cuba in 2023 to compete in international competitions and qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympics. The 29-year-old said he then tried to get an emergency visa but ran out of time with the event already under way on Thursday. "I followed the same protocol as all my previous trips to the United States using my Portuguese passport," Calderano said in a statement on his website late on Thursday. "When I was informed of the situation, I mobilized my entire team to obtain an emergency visa, but unfortunately, there was not enough time." "It is frustrating to be left out of one of the most important competitions of the season for reasons beyond my control, especially coming off such positive results," he added. The U.S. Smash event is one of the highlights of the year for the WTT, a body created by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), to stage commercial competitions to broaden the appeal of the sport, with higher prize money. The United States will also play host to the 2026 soccer World Cup while Los Angeles will stage the 2028 summer Olympics with athletes from more than 200 countries set to take part. Reuters has contacted the U.S. State Department for a comment. The ITTF could not immediately be reached for a comment. (Reporting by Karolos Grohmann)
Straits Times
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Table tennis-World Cup winner Calderano to miss Las Vegas event over visa issues
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox BERLIN - Brazilian Hugo Calderano, who won the gold medal in the 2025 table tennis World Cup, said he will miss the WTT U.S. smash event in Las Vegas this month following delays in getting a visa to the United States. Calderano, a 2025 world championships silver medallist who also holds a Portuguese passport, said he had been informed by U.S. authorities that he was no longer eligible for visa waiver for European Union countries, due to a trip to Cuba in 2023 to compete in international competitions and qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympics. The 29-year-old said he then tried to get an emergency visa but ran out of time with the event already under way on Thursday. "I followed the same protocol as all my previous trips to the United States using my Portuguese passport," Calderano said in a statement on his website late on Thursday. "When I was informed of the situation, I mobilized my entire team to obtain an emergency visa, but unfortunately, there was not enough time." "It is frustrating to be left out of one of the most important competitions of the season for reasons beyond my control, especially coming off such positive results," he added. The U.S. Smash event is one of the highlights of the year for the WTT, a body created by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), to stage commercial competitions to broaden the appeal of the sport, with higher prize money. The United States will also play host to the 2026 soccer World Cup while Los Angeles will stage the 2028 summer Olympics with athletes from more than 200 countries set to take part. Reuters has contacted the U.S. State Department for a comment. The ITTF could not immediately be reached for a comment. REUTERS
Qatar Tribune
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Calderano makes South-American history, three-peat for Chuqin & Yingsha at TT Worlds
Tribune News Network Doha Brazilian Hugo Calderano created history at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships - Doha 2025 yesterday as he became the first South American to reach global final. At the Lusail Sports Complex, the 28-year-old beat China's fifth seed Liang Jingkun 4-3 (15-13, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 3-11, 7-11, 11-9), for a shot at becoming Brazil's first-ever world champion. Calderano recently made history as his country's first paddler to win the men's singles gold at the ITTF World Cup in Macao. Calderano battled fiercely against Jingkun. He found himself on the back foot early, trailing 6-9 in the opening game but he responded with deceptive angles. The set became a tense affair, with Calderano edging ahead and Jingkun saving five game points, but Calderano finally clinched it to take a 1-0 lead.. The second game was equally intense, but Calderano remained sharp, using spin, angles, and changes in pace to overpower his opponent, sealing it 11-7. In the third, Jingkun regrouped to take the set keeping himself in the match. Calderano came out firing in the fourth, surging to a 5-1 lead with a masterful blend of slow spin and speed as Brazilian reclaimed control and push ahead 3-1 in the match. Jingkun responded emphatically in the fifth and sixth set, leveling the match at 3-3 and setting up a dramatic decider. The final game saw Calderano struggle with unforced errors early, falling behind 0-3. But he quickly recovered, winning five consecutive points to turn the tide. The change of ends favoured Calderano, as he surged to a 10-3 lead and held firm to claim victory in a marathon battle. Calderano will face another Chinese Wang Chuqin, whom he defeated in the World Cup semi-finals last month in Macau. Chuqin beat Sweden's No. 7 seed Truls Moregardh 4-2 (5-11, 11-8, 11-2, 12-10, 12-10) in the semi-final yesterday. Wang exacted revenge on Moregard after his shock defeat to the Swede in the round of 32 at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Moregard made it through to the final, where he lost to world champion Fan Zhendong. Wang will fancy his chances of finally getting his hands on the world singles title as he looks to upgrade the silver from two years ago. The two-time Olympic champion in doubles events can capture the full set of gold medals at the world championships. The 25-year-old won the men's and mixed doubles in Durban 2023. Earlier, Wang and Sun Yingsha claimed their third straight mixed doubles crown beating Japan's Maharu Yoshimura and Satsuki Odo 3-1 (7-11,8-11, 11-7, 8-11) in the final. In the women's competition, defending champion Sun made short work of Japan's Ito Mima in their semi-final. Sun defeated the eighth seed in straight sets, 11-7, 11-5, 11-9, 11-4, to secure her third straight singles final at the global showpiece. In other semis, China's Wang Manyu beat Chen Xingtong to storm into the final. In the women's doubles, Wang Manyu and Kuai Man reached the final beating Japan's No. 4 seed, Miwa Harimoto and Miyuu Kihara 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 to book their spot in the final. This marks Wang Manyu's fourth appearance in the women's doubles event at the World Championships, where she has already secured two gold medals. In the men's doubles, Kao Cheng-Jui and Lin Yun-Ju made it to the final defeating the top-ranked French duo of Felix and Alexis Lebrun. They will now face the Japanese World No. 2 pairing of Hiroto Shinozuka and Shunsuke Togami, who made it to the final courtesy of a walkover from the second French pairing of Florian Bourrassaud and Esteban Dorr.
