Stanković back to the top of World Table Tennis Rankings

FM24 takes exclusive interview after record achievement

Serbia's Filip Stanković has regained the world number one ranking in table tennis after a dominant performance in the last year.

The 31-year-old, who reached the semi-finals of the World Championships in November, had been ranked second behind Fan Zhendong of China since July 2023.

But he has now replaced the Chinese at the summit of the International Table Tennis Federation's (ITTF) world rankings after winning the WTT Star Contender in Doha, Qatar last week.

Stanković won the final 4-2 against Chinese Taipei's Lin Yun-Ju to secure his second WTT Star Contender title of the season, and his seventh overall.

"I'm very happy to be back at the top of the rankings," Stanković told FM24 in an exclusive interview.

"It's been a tough year with a lot of ups and downs. But I've worked hard and I'm delighted to be back at number one."

Stanković is the first Serbian man to top the ITTF world rankings and he is only the second player from outside of China to achieve the feat in the last 15 years.

His rise to the top has been impressive. He won the European Championships in 2019 and 2022, and he has also won two WTT Grand Smash titles in 2023.

Stanković's success is a testament to his hard work and dedication, and he is now one of the most feared players in the world.

He will be looking to continue his impressive form at the World Championships in Durban, South Africa, in March.