Cricket's Heartbreak to Table Tennis Rejoice: Odisha teenager Sarthak Arya beating the Odds with Unyielding Grit | Exclusive

Sarthak Arya, an energetic boy from Odisha, is making rounds at the WTT Vadodara 2026 Feeder Event, as he has qualified for the main draw of the Men's Singles tournament.

The 16-year-old showcased his grit

and fighting spirit with a fantastic win over his opponent in the final qualifiers encounter, and will take on Sarth Mishra in the Round of 32 on Friday (January 9).

A player who is known for his energy and grit on the pitch, the youngster from Odisha found his love for Table Tennis, only because he was denied entry in Cricket.

After taking his son to a coaching centre for cricket, Sarthak's father faced a mini setback. The coaching centre was not allowing young Sarthak as a part of their institution. They told him to come after a year or two as they thought he may not be able to live up to the physicality.

But that closed door opened the one for Table Tennis, as Sarthak found his home with it. During a chat with MyKhel at the WTT event in Vadodara, he opened up on his budding journey.

"My father suggested I might want to try table tennis. So I went there, gave it a shot, and liked it right away. After that, I started playing two hours a day, every day. "

But success came soon for him. The youngster got a taste of victory very early, within six months. And the initial taste of winning amplified his enthusiasm.

"After six months or a year, I won my first medal at the state championships. That was my first major achievement-it pushed me to believe I could achieve something big in table tennis, maybe even build a future from it. "

Sarthak has been excellent in recent months. The youngster won the U17 UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships title last year in Ranchi, and has started 2026 by winning the Mixed Doubles title in the youth contender of the WTT event with Syndrela Das.

Sarthak describes his aggressive style of play is emulated from his Table Tennis idol Ma Long. The Chinese player has a trick up his sleeve for all of his opponents, and the young boy from Jagatsinhpur has been enticed by that.

"He (Ma Long) doesn't let anyone overcome himself. Like whatever weapon the opponent has, he has every way to counter it because he uses much more of his brain to play. So, I think it is the best way to play against anyone. "

Not just that, Sarthak has a unique mechanism to cope with pressure. The term Cho Le is common in Table Tennis, and the youngster screams loudly with the self-motivational expression to not just keep himself going, but to send a message to the opponent, that he's still in the battle.

After finishing 15th in the TTFI Rankings in 2025, Sarthak has beaten the odds to progress till this stage, and he would be desperate to continue his merry way. Even in his final qualifier's match against Raegan Albuquerque, Sarthak showed immense resilience in the final set. Despite Albuquerque's lead throughout the set, he rallied back in the final moments and saved the match point twice, before clinching the decisive set 13-11.

With a hope to win Olympic Gold for India one day, Sarthak marches on to the singles event as one of the youngest players in the mix. Although the challenge will be a daunting one, he believes it will be nothing but an opportunity to prove his mettle. And as his joyous roars of 'Cho' reverberate across the arena, the player would be hoping to return with the 'Le'.