The draw for the World Table Tennis Championships Finals 2025 in Doha has been released, and Indian paddlers will have their task cut out across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events.
With a blend of experienced campaigners and emerging talent, India has entered 14 athletes in various draws. Notably, there are no Indian seeds in the men’s singles event—a stark reminder of the need for a rankings push in that category.
Men’s Singles: No Seed, Tough Roads Ahead
The men’s singles draw features four Indian players—Ankur Bhattacharjee, Manush Shah, Manav Thakkar, and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran.
- Ankur faces World No. 125 Lam Siu of Hong Kong in the Round of 128. A win there could set up a second-round clash against World No. 1 and top seed Fan Zhendong (LSD) of China—a daunting prospect.
- Manush Shah, ranked outside the top 100 himself, is up against Portugal’s Tiago Apolónia (World No. 91). Should he advance, his Round of 64 opponent will be Felix Lebrun, the World No. 6 and one of the most consistent performers on the WTT circuit this year.
- Manav Thakkar has drawn New Zealand’s Timothy, ranked 174. A win would take him into a Round of 64 clash with Japanese sensation Tomokazu Harimoto, seeded 4th.
- Sathiyan Gnanasekaran takes on Frenchman Poret, currently ranked 29. While Sathiyan has more international experience, Poret is in good form and will test the Indian veteran early.
India’s absence from the seeded list in men’s singles points to a broader challenge. Without consistent top-100 performances or deep runs at WTT events, Indian men are left to navigate tricky first-round ties and stacked draws.
Women’s Singles: Three Indians with Seeds, All Drawn Against Unseeded Players
India’s women’s singles hopes are led by Manika Batra (22nd seed), Sreeja Akula (25th seed), and unseeded Diya Chitale and Yashaswini Ghorpade.
- Manika faces Fatimo from Nigeria in Round 1. Manika, with her ranking advantage and experience at the Olympic level, will be expected to progress.
- Sreeja Akula meets Thailand’s Swetta. Though seeded, Sreeja will have to guard against complacency.
- Diya Chitale, drawn against Spain’s S. Zhang, has shown promise on the domestic circuit but will need to step up at this level.
- Yashaswini faces Jia Nan of France in Round 1. Jia Nan, while unseeded, brings strong European circuit experience.
India’s seeding in the women’s section is a sign of recent progress, with Manika and Sreeja being consistent over the last two seasons on the WTT calendar.
Doubles and Mixed Doubles: Seeding Offers Hope
India has better prospects in doubles, with multiple seeded pairs:
Men’s Doubles
- Manav Thakkar / Manush Shah are the 8th seeds. They face a Slovenian pair in the Round of 64. This duo has built a solid partnership, and expectations are high for at least a quarterfinal finish.
- Harmeet Desai / Sathiyan Gnanasekaran take on opponents from Austria and Moldova. While unseeded, this is a highly experienced pair that has delivered in pressure situations before.
Women’s Doubles
- Diya Chitale / Yashaswini Ghorpade, seeded 12th, face Uzbekistan in their opener. With improved coordination and court coverage, they’ll be aiming for the last 16.
- Ayhika Mukherjee / Sutirtha Mukherjee, seeded 14th, begin against Turkey. Their defensive style, particularly Ayhika’s strong backhand, could prove tricky for attacking pairs.
Mixed Doubles
- Manush / Diya, seeded 9th, start against Algeria. Their combination has delivered results on the ITTF circuit and will aim to go deep here.
- Harmeet / Yashaswini, seeded 14th, open against a French pair. Both players are capable servers and returners, and their chemistry will be key.
The mixed doubles discipline remains India’s most consistent medal hope at the Asian and Commonwealth levels. Translating that into deeper runs at World Championships remains the next step.
Bigger Picture: India’s Push for Consistency
The absence of any men’s singles seeding indicates the challenges India still faces in breaking into the top tier. The ranking system heavily rewards consistency across the season, especially in WTT events. Indian paddlers have often had short bursts of performance but need a more sustained approach to climb higher.
In contrast, women’s singles and doubles show growth. The investments in building depth among women players—seen in players like Sreeja, Diya, and Yashaswini—are beginning to yield returns. The Mukherjee sisters continue to offer tactical variety, and Manika remains the country’s most recognized name.
With the 2026 Asian Games qualification cycle soon underway and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in the medium-term focus, the World Championships serve as a critical barometer of India’s current level.
- India’s best medal chances lie in doubles and mixed doubles.
- Men’s singles remains an area needing urgent attention.
- Seedings in women’s events show positive trends.
- Young players like Yashaswini and Manush will gain valuable exposure.
The next fortnight in Doha will offer Indian table tennis both tests and opportunities. If Indian players can convert their seeding advantage into match wins, a breakthrough into the later stages isn’t out of reach.
