Island’s top player set to play in US Major League

Tyrese Knight is proving to be Barbados’ table tennis king.

Just when it appeared as if 2023 couldn’t get any better for Barbados’ highest-ranked player, Knight was selected to play with some of the world’s best players in USA Major League Table Tennis (MLTT).

The 24-year-old Knight was selected in the fifth round with the 40th overall pick by the Portland Paddlers in the inaugural tournament, which is the only professional table tennis league in the USA. 

Speaking to Barbados TODAY in an exclusive interview, Knight said he was honoured to have been selected as one of the world’s best players.

“This is a big achievement for me to be playing amongst the best in the first-ever professional league in the US and I hope to do my best.”

“I just want to say a huge thanks to everybody who would’ve helped me through my journey up to this point in table tennis,” Knight said. 

He was selected following a spectacular performance at the Combine Trials for the league held on August 19 to 20 in Los Angeles, where he finished with an impressive 7-3 record that captured the attention of attending coaches.

The MLTT is a team-based competition and will feature eight teams, each representing different cities across the country. 

The franchises include the Portland Paddlers, Seattle Spinners, Bay Area Blasters, Chicago Wind, Texas Smash, Princeton Revolution, Florida Crocs, and Carolina Gold Rush.

The Ocean Center in Daytona Beach is set to host the opening matches from September 15 to 17, featuring the East Division teams.

Knight is also poised to represent Barbados at the Table Tennis Pan Am Championships scheduled for September 10 to 17 in Havana, Cuba. 

Additionally, having secured victories in his qualifying tournament matches, Knight will participate in the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile, in October.

Among the distinguished players hailing from the English-speaking Caribbean, Knight will stand alongside Guyana’s Shemar Britton and Trinidad and Tobago’s Rheann Chung at the prestigious tournament taking place from October 20 to November 5. 

While Barbados is celebrated for its notable contributions to the sports arena within the region, the sport of table tennis has yet to yield a medal for the nation at the Pan Am Games.

Knight’s journey is in alignment with the legacy of players such as Trevor Farley and Robert Roberts, who have admirably represented Barbados on the international stage. 

The 24-year-old Bajan is resolute in his aim to carry forward this rich tradition for the island’s table tennis players. 

rawletoney@barbadostoday.bb