Hugo Calderano in the men's singles final against Felix Lebrun at the WTT Star Contender in Ljubljana, Slovenia, 22/6/2025. Photo: Xinhua

Calderano visited Cuba in 2023 for the Pan American Games, which also served as a qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics. This trip made the 29-year-old ineligible for the US Visa Waiver Program (ESTA).

ESTA permits citizens of European Union (EU) countries visa-free entry to the US. Calderano, although Brazilian, holds a Portuguese passport and therefore applied for ESTA.

His ESTA approval was unusually delayed. Subsequently, US authorities informed him of his ineligibility due to the 2023 Cuba visit. In late June 2025, Calderano urgently contacted USA Table Tennis (USATT) for assistance. The federation attempted to secure a visa interview for the reigning World Cup champion. However, no appointment could be guaranteed before the tournament began, forcing the 1996-born player to miss the prestigious event.

The US Smash runs from 3/7 to 13/7, with the main draw commencing on 6/7. As the third seed, Calderano had direct entry to the main draw.

World Table Tennis (WTT) CEO Steve Dainton expressed disappointment. Calderano is a top-ranked player from the Americas and in excellent form. Dainton also suggested Calderano should have prepared his paperwork earlier to avoid such issues.

Cuba is on the US list of sanctioned countries with restricted entry. The US Embassy declined to comment publicly on Calderano's visa situation.

Born on 22/6/1996, Calderano is considered the best table tennis player in the history of the Americas. Earlier this year, he broke China's dominance at the Table Tennis World Cup, finished second at the World Championships, and won the WTT Star Contender in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Xuan Binh