Siri Benjegård makes Grand Smash
Photo: Per Hällström/TT

Siri Benjegård makes Grand Smash history as youngest female player ever

Siri Benjegård, 15 years and just over two months old, is the great hope for the future of Swedish table tennis. Now she is also making history - as the youngest female player ever in a Grand Smash tournament.

"Wow, that was awesome," says Benjegård.

She beats the two previous youngest 15-year-olds, Hana Goda of Egypt and Miwa Harimoto of Japan, by a few months.

She knows Goda especially well because they won Swedish Championship gold together in 2024 for Eslöv.

In the first round of the Europe Smash in Malmö, Benjegård was pitted against the toughest opponent imaginable, the Chinese Wang Yidi, ranked sixth in the world.

"Of course I was a little nervous, but this was a good experience."

In the end, she lost 0-3 in sets. Hopefully, even bigger tasks await a little further on.

"My goal going forward is to compete in the 2028 Olympics," says Siri Benjegård.

In this story
AuthorTT News AgencyEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for our readers
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