The WTT Star Contender London 2025, held at the iconic Copper Box Arena in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park from October 21 to 26, marked a historic moment as the first time the United Kingdom hosted this prestigious World Table Tennis (WTT) event.
For Indian table tennis enthusiasts, the tournament was a rollercoaster of emotions, headlined by star paddler Manika Batra’s dramatic path from visa uncertainties to aquarterfinal appearance. While the Indian contingent showed flashes of brilliance, the event ultimately concluded without medals for the team, highlighting both their potential and the challenges they face on the global stage.
Just days before the tournament’s start, Manika Batra, India’s highest-ranked female player at World No. 43, took to social media to voice her frustration over delays in securing UK visas for herself and her teammates.
On October 16, 2025, Batra posted on X , tagging External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and the British High Commission in India. She revealed that she, along with G. Sathiyan, Harmeet Desai, Diya Chitale, and support staff, had applied for visas immediately after the China Smash tournament (September 25 to October 5) but were still awaiting approvals.
In her post, Batra wrote: “Me and my teammates @sathiyantt, @Harmeetdesai, and @Diyachitalett & support staff applied for our UK visas immediately after our China tournament to play in London at the WTT Star Contender London 2025. I had planned to travel on 17 October to reach in time for practice… My first match is on 21st October. ‘Disheartening to see other players already flying’ while we’re stuck chasing updates instead of focusing on the tournament.”
The delay forced Batra to reschedule her flight from October 17 to October 19, risking inadequate preparation time.
The issue wasn’t isolated to Batra; her teammates faced similar hurdles. By October 18, Batra had received her visa, but she continued to advocate for the others, posting: “I’m still waiting for my colleagues’ visas @Diyachitalett @sathiyantt @HarmeetDesai. Hoping they receive them soon. We’re on our duty to represent our country while everyone celebrates Diwali.”
Fortunately, the visas were cleared in time, allowing the full Indian squad to compete. However, the ordeal added unnecessary stress, with potential financial penalties and ranking implications if they had withdrawn. This incident underscored ongoing administrative challenges for Indian athletes traveling abroad, echoing similar issues in past events.
Manika Batra’s Heroic Run: Overcoming Odds on the Table
Despite the off-court distractions, Batra turned her frustration into fuel once she stepped onto the blue mats of the Copper Box Arena. Seeded 16th in the women’s singles, she began her campaign in the Round of 32 on October 24 with a gritty 3-2 victory over Spain’s Maria Xiao (World No. 52). The match scores were 19-17, 8-11, 2-11, 11-8, 11-6, showcasing Batra’s ability to recover from setbacks and dominate in decisive games.
The highlight of Batra’s tournament came in the Round of 16, where she pulled off a monumental upset against fourth-seeded Shi Xunyao of China (World No. 12). In a 37-minute thriller, Batra won 3-1 (11-6, 11-4, 8-11, 11-9), displaying aggressive forehand attacks and tactical prowess that left the higher-ranked opponent reeling.
This victory not only propelled her to the quarterfinals her second such appearance in a WTT Star Contender event in 2025 but also reaffirmed her status as India’s leading table tennis star.
However, her run ended in the quarterfinals on October 25 against World No. 16 Cheng I-Ching of Chinese Taipei, who dominated in straight sets 3-0. Despite the loss, Batra’s journey from visa chaos to knocking out a top seed became the narrative of India’s campaign, inspiring fans back home.
India’s Overall Performance: Mixed Results and Valuable Lessons
The Indian team, consisting of five players in singles, put up a commendable fight but exited without advancing beyond the Round of 16 in most categories. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of their results:
Player | Event | Round Reached | Key Matches |
Manika Batra | Women’s Singles | Quarterfinals | R32: def. Maria Xiao (ESP) 3-2 (19-17, 8-11, 2-11, 11-8, 11-6) R16: def. Shi Xunyao (CHN) 3-1 (11-6, 11-4, 8-11, 11-9) QF: lost to Cheng I-Ching (TPE) 0-3 |
Harmeet Desai | Men’s Singles | Round of 16 | R32: def. Hwan Bae (KOR) 3-0 (11-8, 13-11, 11-4) R16: lost to Kay Stumper (GER) 0-3 (3-11, 5-11, 6-11) |
Manav Thakkar | Men’s Singles | Round of 16 | R32: def. Connor Green (ENG) 3-1 (11-5, 8-11, 11-7, 11-9) R16: lost to Dang Qiu (GER) 0-3 (11-13, 10-12, 6-11) |
G. Sathiyan | Men’s Singles | Round of 32 | R32:Lost to Sora Matsushima (Japan) 0-3 (6-11, 10-12, 9-11) |
Diya Chitale | Women’s Singles | Round of 32 | R32: Lost to Miwa Harimoto (Japan) 0-3 (1-11, 8-11, 1-11) |
The doubles campaign at the WTT Star Contender London 2025 ended in disappointment with no pairs advancing beyond the Round of 16. The Indian contingent fielded two men’s doubles teams and one mixed doubles pair, all of whom faced stiff competition from higher-seeded or in-form opponents.
Despite showing flashes of coordination and aggressive play, early losses highlighted the gap in consistency and experience at the Star Contender level. The results underscore the need for more international exposure in doubles to complement India’s growing singles strength.
Pair | Event | Round Reached | Result |
Manush Shah / Manav Thakkar | Men’s Doubles | Round of 16 | R16: lost to Kuo Guan-Hong / Feng Yi-Hsin (TPE) 1-3 (12-10, 8-11, 8-11, 9-11) |
Harmeet Desai / Sathiyan Gnanasekaran | Men’s Doubles | Round of 16 | R16: lost to Paul Drinkhall / Sam Walker (GBR, WC) 1-3 (13-11, 5-11, 9-11, 5-11) |
Harmeet Desai / Yashaswini Ghorpade | Mixed Doubles | Round of 16 | R16: lost to Kristian Karlsson / Christina Källberg (SWE) 2-3 (11-5, 5-11, 11-6, 4-11, 6-11) |
While the WTT Star Contender London 2025 ended medal-less for India, the tournament provided crucial exposure and ranking points ahead of major events like the 2026 World Championships, which will also feature the Copper Box Arena. Batra’s resilience in the face of adversity serves as a beacon for the team, emphasizing the importance of mental toughness.
As Indian table tennis continues to rise, addressing logistical issues like visa delays will be key to allowing athletes to focus purely on performance. With talents like Batra leading the charge, the future looks promising for India on the international circuit.
