WTT Star Contender Chennai: Sathiyan Gnanasekaran hails India's Table Tennis Surge, Diya 'amazed' to be Top Seed

Arjuna Award winner Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, an Asian Games and Commonwealth Games medallist and the No. 10 seed in Men's Singles, has hailed India's table tennis team as a serious challenger to the global elite entering the WTT Star Contender Chennai 2026.

The event kicks off Tuesday at the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University. More than 80 athletes from over 15 nations will vie in the main draw across Men's Singles, Women's Singles, Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles, and Mixed Doubles.

WTT Star Contender Chennai Top India Seeds

Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah lead as the top-seeded Men's Doubles pair, while Shah and Diya Chitale, fresh off their historic triumph at WTT Contender Muscat 2026, enter as Mixed Doubles top seeds. India boasts three players in the Men's Singles top 16-Thakkar,

Shah, and Gnanasekaran-marking clear advancement from last year, when no Indians earned seeds in the singles.

Thakkar, the fourth seed in Men's Singles, joins Shah as the top Men's Doubles seeds. India leads participation with 27 players and 38 entries across main and qualifying draws. Over 60 international competitors fill the main draw, led by South Korea (17) and Japan (13).

Sathiyan Gnanasekaran hails India's Table Tennis Rise

Gnanasekaran highlighted the surge in Indian table tennis, stating, "I'm extremely happy to see the progress Indian table tennis has made over the last few years. The growth has been exponential across all categories, from juniors to seniors. Many Indian players have broken into the top 100, and we are now a genuine threat to the world's best. Hosting UTT and WTT events in India, including feeder tournaments, Star Contenders, and Youth Contenders, has provided invaluable exposure. You can clearly see the impact, with Indians becoming regulars on the WTT circuit and improving consistently. "

He added excitement about the home event: "With the tournament happening in Chennai, my hometown, I couldn't ask for more. I'm super excited to be playing a WTT event at home again and hope to make a strong mark and pull off a few upsets. "

Diya Chitale amazed after Top Seed Entry

Chitale and Shah carry momentum from their WTT Contender Muscat 2026 victory, where they edged China's No. 4 seeds Huang Youzheng and Shi Xunyao 3-2 in a gripping 37-minute Mixed Doubles final for their second title. Chitale, teamed with Yashaswini Ghorpade, also holds the No. 4 seed in Women's Doubles.

Reflecting on her form, Chitale shared, "It feels amazing to be the top seed at the WTT Star Contender in Chennai. Manush (Shah) and I recently won the Contender event in Muscat, Oman, beating several quality opponents along the way, which has given us a lot of confidence. The growth of Indian table tennis over the past year has been tremendous, and we've worked hard on different aspects of our game. We're improving steadily and will take it one match at a time. Of course, the goal is always to win gold for India, and playing at home, I'm really hoping for strong support from the crowd. "

Thakkar expressed enthusiasm: "It's really special, and I'm very excited to be back playing in Chennai. I have some great memories from here and will hopefully try to make them even better this year. It's always a pleasure to play in India, and this season I'll also be competing in doubles, where I'll be looking to do well. "

Champions in Men's and Women's Singles pocket USD 17,000 and 600 world ranking points, while doubles victors earn USD 5,500 and 600 points, cementing the tournament's stature on the WTT tour.