Sports
Manav Thakkar Advances to Semi-Finals of WTT Star Contender Men’s Singles

The Indian representation at the WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 faced a significant setback, with Manav Thakkar emerging as the sole Indian to reach the semi-finals. He accomplished this feat by defeating his higher-ranked Korean rival, Lim Jonghoon, with a surprising 3-2 victory on Saturday evening.
Prior to this, the Indian challenge dwindled as Snehit Sujjavula put up a valiant fight but ultimately fell to another formidable French opponent in the quarter-finals.
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Nonetheless, the standout moment for the entire Indian contingent came when Manav Thakkar faced off against the Korean player who had previously eliminated world number 5, Hugo Calderano from Brazil.
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Initially, Manav Thakkar found himself at a disadvantage as the aggressive Korean player surged to a 2-0 lead. However, Thakkar soon retaliated with a well-rounded display of table tennis prowess, all while his coach maintained a stoic demeanor from the sidelines.
Following a time-out in the fourth game, Thakkar returned revitalized, astonishing the Korean with a series of unexpected shots and controlled rallies. His comeback from two games down provided a much-needed highlight in an otherwise challenging day for the Indian players.
Although the overall results reflected Indian losses, many matches showcased intense competition, suggesting a bright future for these paddlers.
Similarly, Snehit, who had bested Achanta Sharat Kamal in a recent international match, put on an impressive performance against French player Poret Thibault, even though he ultimately lost. His skillful shots frequently caught his opponent off guard.
Hailing from Hyderabad, Snehit displayed high-caliber table tennis that challenged the world number 59 from France. His unique shots and strategic play promised a bright future ahead for this budding talent.
Snehit had previously partnered with Indian table tennis legend Achanta Sharat Kamal in the doubles event, even besting him in their last competitive match, much to the audience’s mixed emotions of joy and sadness.
“I’m thrilled for Snehit and his outstanding performance in this tournament. I have no doubt he will go far in the next one,” said Achanta Sharat Kamal after his match. Reflecting on his retirement, he shared, “I decided this six months ago, and when you reach such a decision, your mindset shifts accordingly.”
This tournament marked Achanta Sharat Kamal’s last competitive appearance; having announced his retirement before the WTT Star Contender Chennai event, the emotional Chennai crowd bid him farewell, expressing gratitude for his significant contributions to the sport that began in his hometown.
Sharat Kamal’s table tennis journey began and concluded in Chennai, spanning a remarkable career.
The 42-year-old Sharat Kamal is a ten-time national champion and five-time Olympian, holding the highest ranking among Indian players at 42nd in the latest WTT listings, significantly above his counterpart Manav Thakkar. A true gentleman both on and off the court, Sharat embodies excellence and humanity.
His records in the Commonwealth Games are remarkable, with a total of 13 medals over five editions, which sets a high bar for future athletes.
In his final performance at the Chennai WTT, Sharat demonstrated that age is merely a number. Following his retirement from competitive play, he will focus on giving back to the sport through a proposed table tennis academy in collaboration with the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu and serve as co-chair on the International Table Tennis Federation’s (ITTF) Athletes Commission.
While Sharat’s match against compatriot Snehit marked the end of his personal competitive journey, it also signaled the conclusion of the Indian challenge at the WTT Star Contender Chennai series, as all players, both men and women, exited after putting up a strong fight. The close scores and memorable rallies in their matches told a different story of resilience and skill than the final scorelines suggested.
Unfortunately, the Indian women’s team, featuring players like Manila Batra, Sreeja Akula, and Ahikya Mukherjee, faced early exits in their singles and doubles matches on Friday. The Indian men’s challenge ended on Saturday with Sharat Kamal and Snehit departing in singles, while Manav Thakkar also lost to Lim Jonghoon, despite taking a game off his high-ranking opponent who previously upset the world number 5.
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Sports
India Secures 43 Medals at Asian U-15 and U-17 Boxing Championships

Team India has secured a total of 43 medals at the inaugural Asian U-15 & U-17 boxing championships, organized by the newly recognized Asian Boxing body under World Boxing. On Day 7, four additional pugilists advanced to the semifinals, ensuring India will take home at least 25 medals in the U-15 category and 18 in the U-17 category, as all semifinalists automatically receive bronze.
Aman Siwach (63kg) and Devansh (80kg) made significant strides in the U-17 boys’ segment, both claiming Referee Stopped Contest (RSC) victories over opponents from the Philippines and Jordan, respectively, during the final quarterfinals.
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In the girls’ division, Simranjeet Kaur (60kg) achieved a dominant 5-0 victory over Jordan’s Aya Alhasanat, while Himanshi (70kg) earned an RSC win against Palestine’s Farah Abou Layla in the very first round, advancing to the semifinals alongside her teammates.
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Results:
Men’s U-17 – Quarterfinals
60 kg: Sahil Duhan (IND) lost to Amirali Mehrabi (IRI) – WP 2:3
63 kg: Aman Siwach (IND) def. Ziadrach James Cabrera (PHI) – RSC R2
66 kg: Anant Gaurishankar Deshmukh (IND) lost to Daniyal Shalkarbay (KAZ) – WP 0:5
75 kg: Priyansh Sehrawat (IND) lost to Khurshidbek Juraev (UZB) – WP 0:5
80 kg: Devansh (IND) def. Abdallah Aldabbas (JOR) – RSC R3
80+ kg: Loven Gulia (IND) lost to Farhoud Ghorbani (IRI) – WP 0:5
Women’s U-17 – Quarterfinals
60 kg: Simranjeet Kaur (IND) def. Aya Alhasanat (JOR) – WP 5:0
70 kg: Himanshi (IND) def. Farah Abou Layla (PLE) – RSC R1
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Sports
Fleming Acknowledges Auction Errors as CSK’s Playoff Chances Diminish

Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming acknowledged that their player selections during the IPL 2025 mega auction might not have been ideal, following the team’s seventh defeat in nine matches. They lost by five wickets to Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk.
This loss marked their fourth consecutive defeat, contributing to CSK’s worst-ever home performance in the league, significantly diminishing their chances of playoff qualification.
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“It’s difficult to say we got everything right given our recent performances,” Fleming remarked after another disappointing batting display at home. “We’ve been reviewing our style of play and how the game is evolving.”
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“It’s a challenge, and that’s why we take pride in our past achievements. Consistency over the years is commendable, but it doesn’t take much for things to shift. Other teams have improved, which is the objective of the auction, but we have struggled to adapt,” he elaborated.
The former New Zealand captain emphasized the need for greater understanding and effort from the players. “Responsibility must be taken from the top down, and we must demand more from the players. We need to reflect on the auction outcomes; they didn’t meet our expectations.”
Describing the auction, Fleming referred to it as a “very fluid beast,” expressing confidence in the squad while noting the impact of injuries and unformed players.
“It’s not an exact science. The auction involves intense decision-making, which can be both mentally and physically draining. I still believe we have a good squad, and we’re close. Injuries and form issues have hindered us, and we’ve struggled to establish a consistent game plan,” he stated. “There’s a lot of responsibility and introspection, and I take that responsibility fully.”
In terms of team changes, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni showed reluctance towards frequent adjustments but may be compelled to make significant changes due to current player performances. After Sunrisers Hyderabad’s victory on Friday, which marked their first win at Chepauk, a visibly disappointed Dhoni reflected on the challenges when several key players underperform.
“In a tournament like this, if you can address one or two issues, it’s manageable. But when most players struggle, adjustments become necessary. You typically stick with performing players for a few games, but if several fail simultaneously, changes must be made to improve run production,” Dhoni noted.
Next, CSK will face the Punjab Kings on April 30 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
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Sports
Shambhavi Clinches Double Gold at the 23rd KSSM Championship

Shambhavi Kshirsagar from Maharashtra bested world championship medalists, Olympic finalists, and national champions to clinch the women’s 10m air rifle title at the 23rd Kumar Surendra Singh Memorial Shooting Championship (23rd KSSM) held at Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in Faridabad.
The 16-year-old, who placed fifth at the junior worlds in Lima last year, excelled in the qualifications with an impressive score of 633.5. She concluded the final with a remarkable 10.8 in her last shot out of 24, surpassing Haryana’s Ramita, an Olympic finalist. West Bengal’s Mehuli Ghosh, a bronze medalist at the world championship, secured the third position.
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Shambhavi truly shined on Saturday at the Karni Singh range, later winning a silver in the junior women’s event and securing another gold in the youth women’s competition.
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The senior women’s crown was particularly noteworthy, as Shambhavi competed alongside notable athletes like Mehuli, Ramita, Ananya Naidu (recently crowned national champion), and junior world championship medalist Shreya Agrawal.
As they approached the final two shots of the 24-shot final, Ramita held a narrow lead of 0.1. Both competitors recorded identical scores of 10.2 on their 23rd shots, but Shambhavi’s final shot landed her a score of 252.9, outpacing Ramita’s total of 252.1. Mehuli had exited after the 22nd shot with 231.0.
Ramita, however, avenged her earlier defeat by claiming victory over Shambhavi in the subsequent junior women’s final with a margin of 1.5. Manya Mittal from Uttar Pradesh secured third place.
Despite this setback, Shambhavi remained undeterred and showcased her resilience by winning the youth women’s title, finishing with a score of 253.6, ahead of Karnataka’s Nidhi Mittal by 1.8 points. Madhya Pradesh’s Gautami Bhanot claimed third place.
The senior qualification round attracted a diverse field of 411 shooters.
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