Indian Men’s Team Faces Tough Draw at Asian Team Table Tennis Championships

India’s men’s team at the 28th Asian Table Tennis Championships faces a tough draw, with potential clashes against world powers like China, Japan, and South Korea. Meanwhile, the women’s team has a more favorable path toward the semifinals

Hyderabad: India’s journey at the ITTF-ATTU 28th Asian Team Table Tennis Championships, which kicked off on Friday at the Indoor Athletics Centre in Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneshwar, is set to be a challenging one, especially for the men’s team.

Seeded No. 4, the Indian men’s team, led by Manav Thakkar, who is the only Indian in the ITTF World Top 50, faces a daunting path ahead. The men’s team will open their campaign against Hong Kong (China) in the quarterfinals—a team with players consistently ranked among the world’s top 40, known for their compact defense and counter-topspin precision. A victory would lead them to a challenging clash against Iran, a rapidly improving team spearheaded by Noshed Almiyan, one of West Asia’s most consistent players with an aggressive forehand style.

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The road ahead only gets steeper for India. After Iran, the Chinese team, the world gold standard in men’s table tennis, will likely be their next hurdle. With players like World No. 1 Wang Chuqin and World No. 2 Lin Shidong, China remains the most formidable contender. Other heavyweights like Japan, led by Tomokazu Harimoto, and the Republic of Korea, with their top-20 regulars like An Jae-hyun and Jang Woojin, will further intensify the competition.

India’s youthful squad—Thakkar, Manush Shah, Payas Jain, Ankur Bhattacharjee, and SFR Snehit—will need to bring their best to make an impact in this highly competitive tournament.

In contrast, the Indian women’s team, also seeded No. 4, faces a comparatively easier route. They will open their campaign against Hong Kong (China) in the Champions Division quarterfinals. If they win, their next opponents could be Chinese Taipei, the second seeds. Players like Lin Yun-Ju and Cheng I-Ching—both ranked among the top-20—are expected to pose challenges, but the path looks smoother for India compared to their male counterparts.

However, the women’s summit is still fiercely guarded by the mighty Chinese team, led by the world’s top three—Sun Yingsha (No. 1), Wang Manyu (No. 2), and Chen Xingtong (No. 3)—who form an almost impenetrable unit. Japan, led by Hina Hayata and Mima Ito (both inside the world’s top 10), will also look to challenge China’s dominance.

The seedings:

Men: China, Chinese Taipei, Korea Republic, India, Japan, Hong Kong (China).

Women: Japan, China, Hong Kong (China), India, DPR Korea, and the Republic of Korea.