Brazilian Star Makes History
Brazil’s 28-year-old star Hugo Calderano clinched the men’s singles title at the ITTF World Cup in Macao Special Administrative Region earlier this month. Facing 48 of the world’s top players, he became the first athlete from the Americas—and the first Brazilian—to lift the trophy.
On a nail-biting Easter Sunday, Calderano toppled two top-ranked Chinese mainland players in back-to-back matches: World No.2 Wang Chuqin in the semifinals, then World No.1 Lin Shidong in the final. His blend of disciplined training and mental resilience shone through at every match point.
The win drew praise from Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who congratulated Calderano on social media: “Fantastic work by a top-five-in-the-world athlete who, for almost 15 years, has been supported by the federal government’s athlete grant. I’m immensely proud.”
Beyond the medals, Calderano has also been learning Chinese to deepen cultural ties and build friendships on and off the table. In an interview with CGTN Sports Scene’s Talk Sports exclusive series, he said sport transcends borders and can bridge Brazil and the Chinese mainland.
As the global table tennis community emerges from decades of dominance by Chinese mainland athletes, Calderano’s success signals a narrowing gap and fresh competition. Fans across continents are already buzzing about his achievement.
With the World Championships Finals in Doha on the horizon and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in sight, Calderano says his World Cup triumph has supercharged his confidence. “I’m ready to chase more titles,” he added, proving that grit and vision can rewrite any playbook.
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Hard work and mental resilience make Calderano a World Cup champion
cgtn.com
