One of the key components of the National Competition Review comes into effect this season with the evolution of the National Championships for the youngest age groups.

The Mark Bates Ltd U10-U13 National Championships takes place on the weekend of June 8-9 in Wolverhampton and entries are now open.

The competition previously saw eligible athletes invited to compete in Under-11 or Under-13 age groups. From this season, Under-10 and Under-12 categories are added – and the tournament is now open entry.

That means any young players within those age groups who meet the criteria are able to enter and do not have to be invited – and there are no restrictions based on rankings.

There will be boys’ and girls’ singles in all four age groups and boys’ and girls’ doubles at U12 and U13.

The criteria players must meet are:

• To have played in at least one Local Open Tournament (1* event) or higher in the same season. This includes National Cadet League or National Junior League
• To be a current Compete or Compete Plus member of Table Tennis England (if player is a Compete member, a single competition licence must also be bought)
• To have indicated ‘England’ as their nationality in their membership profile

Additional criteria apply for players transitioning from eligibility for another federation – see event regulations for full details.

The deadline for entries is 11.59pm on Wednesday May 8.

Although entries are open to all who meet the criteria, it is recommended that players enter as soon as possible. This is because there is a practical limit on the number of players who can be accommodated and it may not be possible to accept all entries, therefore we cannot confirm any entries until shortly following the deadline.

Top 16-ranked players in each age group (in the 23/09 ranking list which will be published in May) will have protected entries (providing they enter before the deadline), as will doubles pairs who include a top-eight ranked player. All other entries will be on a first-come, first-served basis, taken from the time entry has been paid for.

If anyone has any questions, please contact our competitions team via the form below.