Talent-packed WTT Star Contender Chennai set for record-breaking main draw with 13 Indian entries

With a formidable foreign lineup led by Japan's Tomokazu Harimoto (World Rank 4) and Hina Hayata (World Rank 5), the stage is set for an electrifying tournament kickoff on March 25. The WTT Star Contender Chennai men's and women's singles main draw will set a 48-player field, while the doubles main draw (men's, women's, and mixed) will follow a 16-pair format. The tournament will feature a prize pool of USD 275,000 and award 600 points to the champions, as per a press release from WTT.

The women's singles main draw will witness India's best-ever representation across all editions of the WTT Star Contender, with Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula, Ayhika Mukherjee, and Yashaswini Ghorpade forming a formidable quartet. Meanwhile, four players have qualified directly for the men's singles main draw in an Indian Star Contender for the first time, led by legend Sharath Kamal. He is joined by Manav Thakkar, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, and Harmeet Desai, all key members of India's medal-winning Asiad and Asian Championships teams.

Deepak Malik, Co-founder and COO of Stupa Sports Analytics, commented on the strong tournament lineup, "Indian table tennis has reached a significant milestone with its strongest-ever presence in a WTT Star Contender main draw. The fact that both our men's and women's singles contingents have hit new highs globally reflects the rising trajectory our players have been on. From securing historic team qualification for the Olympics to producing consistent results at major international events, we are making our presence felt and the WTT Star Contender Chennai is another crucial step in this journey."

Japan's Harimoto, recently crowned the WTT Star Contender Doha 2025 champion, will present significant challenges alongside Brazil's Hugo Calderano (WR 6), a semifinalist at the Paris Olympics. Alongside a roster of global stars, they will infuse the men's competition with formidable talent. In the women's singles, Hayata (WR 5) and Miwa Harimoto (WR 6) are two of the four top 10 players participating, ensuring a highly competitive women's bracket.

Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) co-promoter Vita Dani reflected on the strong field, "Having been deeply involved in table tennis for years, I have seen firsthand the dedication and perseverance it takes to compete at this level. Earning a place in a WTT event is never easy, and with a world-class field assembled, the challenge is immense. But our paddlers have continuously proven their mettle, and I have no doubt they will embrace this stage with the same determination that has driven their rise on the global circuit."

In the doubles draw, Indians fans will be excited to see Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah enter WTT Star Contender Chennai as the highest-ranked men's doubles pair so far, continuing a fruitful partnership. 2022 Asian Games bronze medalists Ayhika and Sutirtha Mukherjee will pair up for the women's doubles, while Yashaswini Ghorpade will partner Diya Chitale. The mixed doubles draw will see Shah pairing with Chitale, while Desai teaming up with Ghorpade, adding depth to India's challenge.

Kamlesh Mehta, Secretary General of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), remarked, "Indian table tennis has come a long way, and seeing more of our players earn entry into the main draw based on merit is a testament to that progress. Just a few years ago, such representation at this level was rare, but today, we are competing on equal footing with the best table tennis programmes in the world. Events like WTT Star Contender have continually helped in that progress and Chennai will continue that trend, challenging our players to aim higher."

Wild cards and qualifiers are expected to further strengthen an already formidable Indian contingent. The singles main draw will feature 25 direct entries based on ITTF rankings, along with four host wildcards, two WTT nominations, one WTT youth nomination, eight top-20 players, and eight qualifiers, ensuring a highly competitive field. Meanwhile, the doubles main draw (men's, women's, and mixed) will include eight direct entries, two onsite-formed pairs, two host wildcards, and four qualifiers.