There will be no new names for 1*, 2* and 4* tournaments for the 2025/26 season after a membership consultation was unable to produce a clear new naming convention.

Around 300 people completed the survey but, with no clear support for any of the options proposed, it was felt by the Executive and Competition Committee that more work was needed on this.

Discussions will now be carried out over the course of the season to find a viable alternative which better reflects the move to Tiered Open Tournaments brought in under the Competition Review.

Other changes proposed by the Competition Review will be implemented from 1 August, including the amendments to the regulations which were brought in to support the creation of the Tiered Open Tournament structure.

Why do the names matter?

We are seeking an alternative naming structure to better reflect the levels of the tournaments, to make it clear to all competitors and potential competitors which is the right level for them. While the current starred names are understood by those in the sport, they hold little relevance to those new to the sport.

Furthermore, the fact that the number of tiers has changed from five (Development, 1*, 2*, 3*, 4*) to three (1*, 2*, 4*), and that 3* events have not been delivered for many years, resulting in a gap in the current naming convention, make a change desirable.

Finally, a fresh naming structure will also better support the conversations under way with potential partners and sponsors of the competitions.

Andrew Wilesmith, Director of Development, said: “We recognise the lack of appetite for what has been proposed through the consultation and it’s important we listen to the table tennis community.

“We want to make these competitions, which are the bread and butter of our tournament structure, as simple as possible to understand and also clear for those coming into the sport.

“The Tiered Open Tournament structure is meant to create a step change between 1*, 2* and 4* events in terms of the standard of players, providing a competition pathway for players to progress and develop, and ensuring we don’t have mismatches which will put off players at earlier stages of their journeys.

“We are also looking at how we increase investment into the sport. These competitions bring in thousands of players a year, so the scale and reach is attractive to partners. The names of the competitions may seem unimportant, but the names and what they represent are important to partners wanting to invest.

“That’s why we will continue to work with the table tennis community to make sure we get to the right naming convention.”