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The 14-year-old heading to the World Championships
TL;DR
Alyssa Nguyen, at 14 years old, is the youngest player on the England team for the World Team Table Tennis Championships. The tournament will take place in London, starting on May 2, with England facing Japan in their opening match.
Key points
- Alyssa Nguyen is 14 years old
- She is the youngest player on the England team
- The World Team Championships will be held in London
- England's first match is against Japan
- The team hasn't competed since 2018
Alyssa NguyenWorld Team Table Tennis ChampionshipsEnglandJapan
Alyssa Nguyen is the youngest player in the England team at 14 years old [BBC]
"It's pretty cool," says Alyssa Nguyen when asked about her call-up to the England team for the World Team Table Tennis Championships.
At just 14, she is the youngest player in the team as the hosts hope to benefit from home advantage in London next month.
England's women have not competed at the World Team Championships since 2018, but Plymouth-based Nguyen will put her school work to one side when she and her team-mates begin their campaign against Japan on 2 May.
"I'm just really pleased and really, really happy and I'm excited for the big event, to see all of the top players playing in London and learning from how they do stuff and how they play," Nguyen told BBC Sport.
Nguyen began playing at the Joola Plymouth Table Tennis Club when she was six, following her brothers who were already involved with the club.
She has gone on to win this year's national Under-17 title and played at last year's European Junior Championships, as well as reaching the last eight of the senior English Championships.
"When I started playing more, I started enjoying it more," she explained.
"I just thought maybe this could be a really good career for me. It will be really fun and interesting to see top players around me and also travelling a lot would be very amazing."
Those who have seen Nguyen develop say she has the talent and commitment to go a long way in the game.
After finishing schoolwork, she will train for three hours a night and travels to play in three tournaments every month.
"You could see straightaway that she had a good feeling for the game and physically she's fantastic for the game as well," said Paul Whiting, the head coach at Joola Plymouth Table Tennis Club.
"To begin with it looked like she was having fun with it and she's developed so quickly. For 14 years old, she's made massive strides forward.
"She's got a good brain for the game as well. She's very clever when you start working on spin and things like that, she's really good."
Q&A
Who is Alyssa Nguyen and what is her age?
Alyssa Nguyen is a 14-year-old table tennis player and the youngest member of the England team.
When does England's campaign start at the World Team Table Tennis Championships?
England's campaign at the World Team Table Tennis Championships starts on May 2, when they face Japan.
When was the last time England's women competed in the World Team Championships?
England's women last competed in the World Team Championships in 2018.
