The World Championship of Ping Pong returns to London in January 2015 where 64 of the world’s best players compete live on Sky Sports.

Moving into its third year here at Alexandra Palace, defending champion Maxim Shmyrev will return to try and fend off the challenge of 63 other top sandpaper players from around the world which will once again be broadcast live on Sky Sports throughout.

Shmyrev, from Russia, has won each of the last three World Championship of Ping Pong tournaments and is out to make it four on the bounce. But with qualifiers taking place around the world this autumn the 2015 field is set to provide the defending champion his toughest test yet.

The event will take place over the weekend of January 24 & 25, with sessions beginning at midday and 6pm on Saturday 24 and midday and 6:30pm on Sunday 25.