India’s campaign at the Singapore Smash 2026 may have drawn to a close in the singles events, but one name ensured the tricolour remained firmly in contention in the doubles draws Diya Chitale.
Competing across both women’s doubles and mixed doubles categories, Chitale emerged as India’s standout performer at the marquee World Table Tennis event, advancing to the Round of 16 in women’s doubles and the quarter-finals in mixed doubles to anchor the country’s challenge deep into the tournament.
Partnering Yashaswini Ghorpade in the women’s doubles event, the Indian duo ranked World No. 25 began their campaign with a confident 3–1 victory over Australia’s Min Hyung Jee and Constantina Psihogios. After dropping the opening game 6–11, Chitale and Ghorpade responded with composure and tactical clarity, winning the next three games 11–5, 11–6, and 11–8 to seal progression into the Round of 16.
The turnaround after the first game highlighted the pair’s ability to adjust under pressure. Having struggled initially against the Australians’ aggressive play, the Indian combination steadied their receive game and tightened their mid-table exchanges to gain control of rallies. Their improved placement and ability to extend points began to force errors from their opponents, allowing them to dictate the tempo across the remaining games.
While the women’s doubles victory marked a strong showing in its own right, Chitale’s most emphatic performance came in the mixed doubles event alongside Manush Shah. Entering the tournament as the sixth seeds with a World Ranking of No. 7 as a pairing, Shah and Chitale delivered a commanding straight-games victory over Singapore’s Zeng Jian and Pang Koen, ranked World No. 30.
The Indian pair wrapped up the contest 11–8, 11–4, 11–5, demonstrating superior coordination and clarity in their attacking patterns. Their service combinations and third-ball initiatives consistently put the Singaporean pair on the defensive, while their ability to transition quickly from defence to attack ensured that momentum remained firmly in India’s favour throughout the match.
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With this win, Shah and Chitale progressed into the mixed doubles quarter-finals, keeping India’s hopes alive in the latter stages of the competition even as challenges mounted in other categories.
Elsewhere, India endured a difficult run in the singles events. Manika Batra, ranked World No. 46, exited after a hard-fought 1–3 defeat against fourth seed Zhu Yuling of Macau China. Batra pushed her higher-ranked opponent in the opening game before eventually going down 10–12, 8–11, 11–4, 9–11 in a competitive encounter.
India’s top-ranked women’s singles player Sreeja Akula, World No. 43, also bowed out after a 1–3 loss to Anna Hursey of Wales, ranked World No. 40, with game scores of 8–11, 5–11, 11–8, 5–11. In the men’s singles draw, India No. 1 Manav Thakkar faced an early exit after being upset by China’s Huang Youzheng, ranked World No. 57. Thakkar went down 1–3 in the opening round, with the match finishing 8–11, 11–9, 6–11, 3–11.
India’s mixed doubles campaign also saw Akash Pal and Min Hyung Jee eliminated in the Round of 16 following a 0–3 defeat against China’s Youzheng and Yi, who closed out the match 11–6, 11–2, 11–4.
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With India’s singles challenge ending at an early stage, Diya Chitale’s performances in the doubles events ensured that the country remained competitive at one of the premier events on the international table tennis calendar. Her progression in both women’s and mixed doubles draws stands out as a significant highlight from India’s Singapore Smash campaign, underlining her growing impact in the doubles formats at the highest level.
