WTT Star Contender Chennai: Manav Thakkar's Journey Concludes with Semifinal Defeat Against Poret
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Synopsis
On March 30, 2025, in Chennai, Manav Thakkar's impressive run at the WTT Star Contender came to an end with a 3-1 Semifinal loss to Thibault Poret, the World No. 54. Despite his defeat, he made history as the first Indian male to reach this stage.
Key Takeaways
- Manav Thakkar made history as the first Indian male to reach a WTT Star Contender semifinal.
- He earned 210 WTT ranking points and a cash prize of USD 4,000.
- Thakkar showcased resilience, winning the third game after losing the first two.
- Achanta Sharath Kamal concluded his career in the Round of 16.
- Japan's Honoka Hashimoto and Miwa Harimoto faced off in the women’s final.
Chennai, March 30 (NationPress) Manav Thakkar’s remarkable journey at the WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 concluded with a hard-fought 3-1 Semifinal defeat to World No. 54 Thibault Poret on Sunday.
After making history as the first Indian male player to reach a WTT Star Contender semifinal just a day earlier, Manav showcased a spirited performance at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, challenging the 20-year-old Frenchman in a thrilling, high-energy match.
Although he narrowly lost the first two games, the 24-year-old from Rajkot made a remarkable comeback in the third, igniting excitement among the home crowd. Poret’s outstanding defensive skills ultimately proved crucial, paving the way for a title showdown against South Korea’s Oh Jun-sung.
In addition to making history, Manav secured 210 valuable WTT ranking points and a monetary reward of USD 4,000 (Rs 3.42 Lakhs) from his impressive semifinal performance.
Previously, Manav triumphed in two consecutive five-game thrillers against Germany’s Andre Bertelsmeier and South Korea’s Lim Jong-hoon, an Olympic medalist, to reach the semifinals.
This tournament also marked the conclusion of Achanta Sharath Kamal’s legendary two-decade career, as he faced a Round of 16 defeat to Snehit Suravajjula in Men’s Singles at the WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025.
In a match against his men’s doubles partner and one of India’s brightest table tennis prospects, Sharath fought valiantly but was narrowly defeated 3-0 by the younger athlete, who displayed remarkable composure and precision to win all three games closely.
Meanwhile, Poret brought an end to Snehit’s impressive run with a 3-1 victory in the quarter-finals on Sunday.
In the women’s final, Japan’s Honoka Hashimoto is set to compete against her national team counterpart Miwa Harimoto, while the men’s final will follow the conclusion of the women’s match.
