Kathmandu, November 30 The iMPACT Thamel Open Table Tennis Championship is beginning here at the National Table Tennis Training Centre on December 3. The championship, organised by iMPACT Sports Management under the sponsorship of Huawei Nova mobile, features five categories — U-16 boys’, U-16 girls’, men’s singles, women’s singles and team event. Around 120 players from across the country are taking part in the seven-day tournament, informed Shorez Raj Pant, Managing Director of iMPACT Sports Management at a press meet today. The top three players in U-16 categories will receive Rs 15,000, Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000, while the winners in singles events will earn Rs 25,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively. Likewise, the top three in team event will get Rs 40,000, Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively. A total of 25 players will take part in U-16 boys’ category, while 18 players will vie in girls’ section. 40 players are in fray in men’s singles and 16 in women’s singles, while eight teams will take part in team event. According to Tournament Ambassador and national player Deep Saun, the team event will be played under different format in the championship. “We used to have five players with as many events in the past. But this format includes five each men and women players with 11 events — four men’s singles, three women’s singles, two mixed doubles and one each men’s and women’s doubles,” he said. “All players need to compete against their opponents and we are also awarding points for winning the set in this format.” The estimated budget of the tournament is Rs 800,000 and the main sponsor Huawei will bear 50 per cent of the cost in cash and kind. “We also have other supporters and that will cover another 25 per cent, while we are putting in the rest of the budget on our own,” said iMPACT MD Pant.