Harmeet & Yashaswini Enter Final as Indian Table Tennis Shines in WTT Contender Buenos Aires 2025: Historic Wins and Deep Runs
The WTT Contender Buenos Aires 2025 turned out to be a memorable stage for Indian table tennis, as Indian paddlers delivered upsets, reached multiple semifinals, and even booked a spot in a prestigious final. Against top-ranked opponents and seasoned pairs, India’s men, women, and mixed doubles combinations showcased a blend of tactical maturity and fearless attacking play that underlined the country’s growing presence on the global table tennis circuit.
From Ayhika Mukherjee’s stunning upset over a world top-20 player to Harmeet Desai and Yashaswini Ghorpade’s dream run to the mixed doubles final, Buenos Aires became the site of some of India’s best recent performances in WTT events.
Mixed Doubles Brilliance: Harmeet and Yashaswini Into the Final
The highlight of India’s campaign came in the mixed doubles, where the unseeded Indian duo of Harmeet Desai and Yashaswini Ghorpade marched into the final after a series of composed wins. In the semifinals, they overcame Chile’s Gomez/Ortega 3-1, showing smart rotations and quick exchanges at the net that kept their opponents constantly under pressure.
Harmeet’s experience and Yashaswini’s anticipation proved a balanced combination, helping them handle tough rallies and convert crucial points. Their run set up a blockbuster final against the second seeds Brazil’s star pair of Hugo Calderano and Bruna Takahashi.
It’s a sign that Indian mixed doubles, traditionally overshadowed by singles performances, is now emerging as a serious medal contender at high-level WTT events.
The other Indian mixed doubles pair, Ayhika Mukherjee and Ankur Bhattacharjee, also had a spectacular run, reaching the semifinals after a huge quarterfinal upset over the fourth-seeded Japanese pair of Nagasaki and Junsung, winning 3-1. Despite falling short against the Brazilian pair, their fearless style and ability to challenge established teams were among the week’s standout moments.
Singles Sparks: Ayhika’s Upset and Manav’s Resilience
In women’s singles, Ayhika Mukherjee created headlines early with one of the tournament’s biggest shocks. Ranked No. 94 in the world, she faced Brazil’s Bruna Takahashi world No.18 and a multiple World Championships and Olympic competitor in the round of 32.
In a five-game thriller (11-7, 10-12, 7-11, 11-7, 11-5), Ayhika showcased her trademark defensive spins mixed with sudden forehand counters, outmanoeuvring Takahashi to secure a famous win. This victory brought back memories of Ayhika’s seven-game classic against Manika Batra at the 2021 World Championships a match that first underlined her big-match temperament.
Ayhika followed it up with a composed 3-0 win over Brazil’s Karina Shiray in the round of 16, she is all set to play her quarterfinal in the evening today. Her run reinforced her reputation as a player who can trouble and beat higher-ranked opponents, especially through her patient rallies and tactical variety.
In men’s singles, Manav Thakkar is carrying Indian hopes into the quarterfinals. After beating local favourite Santiago Lorenzo 3-1 in the round of 32, Manav edged past Germany’s Kay Stumper in a nail-biting five-game encounter (3-2). His resilience and ability to keep calm in the decider showcased the mental strength that has often been his hallmark.
Manav’s compatriots, Harmeet Desai and Snehit Suravajjula, also notched impressive wins in the round of 32 Harmeet defeating Japan’s Yukiya Uda (WR 69) 3-2 in one of the most impressive victories by an Indian player at the event, and Snehit overcoming Australia’s Hwan Bae 3-1.
Though both exited before the quarterfinal, their wins reflect the growing competitiveness of India’s men’s singles contingent.
Men’s and Women’s Doubles: Semifinal Runs Show Depth
Indian doubles pairs also delivered strong performances in Buenos Aires. In men’s doubles:
- Payas Jain and Ankur Bhattacharjee beat Bae (🇦🇺) / Bourrassaud (🇫🇷) 3-1 to reach the semifinals.
- Earlier, Manav Thakkar/Manush Shah and Harmeet Desai/Snehit Suravajjula also advanced past the round of 16.
These collective runs highlight the depth India now possesses across doubles formats a significant shift from even a few years ago when Indian doubles rarely featured in the final rounds of WTT events.
Rising to the Challenge: What This Means for Indian Table Tennis
The Buenos Aires Contender produced some of India’s best international wins in recent times:
Harmeet Desai’s upset of Japan’s Yukiya Uda.
Ayhika Mukherjee’s stunning victory over WR 18 Bruna Takahashi.
Mixed doubles pairs storming into semis and final.
Men’s doubles and singles players consistently reaching the last eight.
What stands out isn’t just the results but how these wins came: through strategic play, fearless shot-making, and mental resilience against more experienced opponents. The fact that India had players fighting deep into every draw singles, doubles, and mixed points to a broader rise in standards, not just individual brilliance.
For Indian fans, the tournament has plenty to celebrate:
- A mixed doubles final appearance for Harmeet and Yashaswini.
- Ayhika’s return to form on the singles court.
- Semifinal finishes across doubles draws.
But equally, it sets a benchmark: the next step will be turning these semifinals and runner-up finishes into titles, especially at the Contender and Star Contender level.
If the performance in Buenos Aires proved anything, it’s that Indian table tennis is no longer just about a few stars it’s about a team capable of producing upsets and challenging for podiums across all events.
As the tour moves ahead, fans can be hopeful: the best may still be to come.
Upcoming Matches
Men Singles QF | Manav vs Kim | 9:25pm
Women Singles QF | Ayhika vs Su | 7:40pm
Men Doubles SF | Payas/Ankur vs Cifuentes/Lorenzo | 02:05am (27/7)
Mixed Doubles F | Harmeet/Yashaswini vs Calderano/Takahashi 2:40am (27/7)
#WTTContender #BuenosAires #TeamIndia #TableTennis #IndianTT #AyhikaMukherjee #HarmeetDesai #MixedDoubles #RisingStars
