WTT Star Contender Chennai: Sharath Kamal bids emotional farewell, Manav makes history

Chennai, March 29 (IANS) Indian table tennis legend Sharath Kamal bade an emotional farewell to the sport following his defeat to Snehit Suravajjula at WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 here on Saturday. Earlier in the day, the 24-year-old Manav Thakkar etched his name in history books by becoming the first Indian male player to reach a WTT Star Contender semifinal.

In an electrifying showdown to close out the day, South Korea’s Lim Jong-hoon and An Jae-hyun powered their way to the Men’s Doubles crown, defeating top seeds Tomokazu Harimoto and Sora Matsushima 3-1 with commanding flair. The Women’s Doubles Final, meanwhile, was a nail-biting thriller, as Japan’s Miwa Harimoto and Miyuu Kihara battled past Shin Yu-bin and Ryu Hanna, sealing a dramatic 11-5 triumph in the deciding game.

WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 is being organised by Stupa Sports Analytics and Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) under the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). The event boasts 600 ranking points for winners and a USD 275,000 prize purse, with top global paddlers in action.

With his run in the event coming to an end, Sharath played a spirited exhibition match against Egypt’s Omar Assar, which served as his final goodbye, before delivering an emotional address to the gathered crowd, during which he underlined his intent to continue contributing to Table Tennis–albeit from the other side.

“Somewhere down the line, I had felt it’s enough and I wanted to explore the possibility of giving back to the sport from the other side of the court. I have done my part as a player, I feel I have contributed enough to the country as a player, and I want to contribute from the other side, as an administrator, a coach, a mentor, or even as just a senior player,” Sharath said, while thanking family, friends, fans, employers IndianOil, SDAT, Stupa Sports Analytics, Ultimate Table Tennis, TTFI, and ITTF.

Earlier, Manav claimed victory in successive five-game thrillers over Germany’s Andre Bertelsmeier and South Korea’s Lim Jong-hoon, an Olympic medallist, to reach the Semifinals.

Snehit’s sensational run, however, came to an end with a defeat against France’s Thibault Poret after his earlier win over Sharath. Flavien Coton recorded back-to-back upsets to enter the semis, while Oh Jun-sung completed the quartet with his win over Tomislav Pucar.

In Women’s Singles, Shin Yu-bin advanced comfortably, sweeping past Miyu Nagasaki in straight games. Honoka Hashimoto’s strong form persisted as she defeated Joo Cheonhui, while Miwa Harimoto cruised past Yuan Wan. Kim Nayeong stunned sixth seed Adriana Diaz, completing a commanding win to reach the final four.

The WTT Star Contender 2025 will conclude with the Main Draw on Sunday, with Finals scheduled for Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, and Mixed Doubles. Meanwhile, all the action from Table 1 will be streamed live on SonyLiv and Tables 2, 3, and 4 on WTT’s official YouTube channel.

Full Results (Main Draw, Day 3)

Men’s Singles (Round of 16): Manav Thakkar (IND) Vs. Andre Bertelsmeier (GER) 3-2: 10-12, 12-10, 15-13, 6-11, 11-5; Oh Jun-sung (KOR) [12] Vs. Omar Assar (EGY) [5] 3-1: 11-3, 11-8, 11-4, 11-4; Tomislav Pucar (CRO) [15] Vs. Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) [1] 3-1: 11-9, 11-8, 13-15, 11-4; Flavien Coton (FRA) Vs. Sora Matsushima (JPN) [8] 3-2: 11-9, 5-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8; Lim Jong-hoon (KOR) [16] Vs. Hugo Calderano (BRA) [2] Vs. 13-11, 12-10, 7-11, 4-11, 11-7; Jonathan Groth (DEN) [3] Vs. Liao Cheng-Ting (TPE) 3-1: 11-6, 11-9, 5-11, 11-3; Snehit Suravajjula (IND) [WC] Vs. Achanta Sharath Kamal (IND) 3-0: 11-9, 11-8, 11-9; Thibault Poret (FRA) Vs. Feng Yi-Hsin (TPE) 3-2: 11-9, 9-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9

Quarterfinals: Oh Jun-sung (KOR) [12] Vs. Tomislav Pucar (CRO) [15] 3-1: 12-10, 7-11, 13-11, 11-4; Thibault Poret (FRA) Vs. Snehit Suravajjula (IND) [WC] 3-1: 11-4, 6-11, 11-7, 11-6; Flavien Coton (FRA) Vs. Jonathan Groth (DEN) [3] 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 11-8; Manav Thakkar (IND) Vs. Lim Jong-hoon (KOR) [16] 3-2: 5-11, 12-10, 3-11, 11-6, 11-1;

Women’s Singles (Round of 16): Kim Nayeong (KOR) Vs. Satsuki Odo (JPN) [3] 3-1: 11-6,11-8, 6-11, 11-6; Joo Cheonhui (KOR) [11] Vs. Miyuu Kihara (JPN) [7] 3-1: 11-4, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7; Yuan Wan (GER) Vs Huang Yu-Jie (TPE) 3-1: 7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9; Miyuu Nagasaki (JPN) [8] Vs. Krittwika Roy (IND) [WC] 3-0: 11-4, 11-2, 11-7; Shin Yu-bin (KOR) [4] Vs. Lee Eun-hye (KOR) [16] 3-2: 8-11, 8-11, 12-10, 12-10, 11-8; Adriana Diaz (PUR) [6] Vs. Huang Yi-Hua (TPE) [12] 3-0: 11-8, 11-6, 11-7; Miwa Harimoto (JPN) [2] Vs. Sakura Yokoi (JPN) [14] 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-9; Honoka Hashimoto (JPN) [13] Vs. Hina Hayata (JPN) [1] 3-2: 6-11, 4-11, 11-4, 11-7, 12-10

Quarterfinals: Shin Yu-bin (KOR) [4] Vs. Miyu Nagasaki (JPN) [8] 3-0: 11-3, 12-10, 11-8; Honoka Hashimoto (JPN) [13] Vs. Joo Cheonhui (KOR) [11] 3-1: 11-6. 11-2, 11-13, 11-6; Miwa Harimoto (JPN) [2] Vs. Yuan Wan (GER) 3-1: 11-8, 3-11, 11-6, 11-4; Kim Nayeong (KOR) Vs. Adriana Diaz (PUR) [6] 3-0: 11-3, 11-9, 12-10

Men’s Doubles (Final): Lim Jong-hoon (KOR)/An Jae-hyun (KOR) [3] Vs. Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN)/Sora Matsushima (JPN) [1] 3-1: 11-4, 11-13, 11-2, 11-3

Women’s Doubles (Final): Miwa Harimoto (JPN)/Miyuu Kihara (JPN) [3] Vs. Shin Yu-bin (KOR)/Ryu Hanna (KOR) 3-2: 9-11, 11-9, 13-11, 12-14, 11-5.

–IANS

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