Blab Sports
Ankur Bhattacharjee and Yashaswini Ghorpade Capture Singles Golds as India Dominates Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships
In a thunderous finish at New Delhi’s Thyagaraj Sports Complex, India claimed four of the five individual gold medals at the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships, sealing a historic sweep that will echo across the sport.
The men’s singles final stretched to 70 minutes, with Ankur Bhattacharjee overcoming compatriot Payas Jain in a seven‑game duel. Bhattacharjee opened strong with an 11‑8 win, but Jain surged back to claim the next two sets 11‑9 and 11‑7. After a brief lull, Bhattacharjee rebounded, taking the fourth set 11‑8, and then turned the tide, edging Jain 11‑7 in the fifth before dominating the final two games 11‑4 and 11‑9. Analysts noted Bhattacharjee’s sharpened service returns, which produced a nine‑point streak in the sixth set.
Jain’s journey to the final began with a decisive 11‑9, 11‑7, 5‑11, 12‑10, 11‑9 victory over Manush Shah in the semi‑final, while Bhattacharjee dispatched Manav Thakkar in straight sets 8‑11, 11‑8, 11‑8, 11‑8, 11‑8.
The women’s final was a more one‑sided affair. Yashaswini Ghorpade opened with an 11‑6 lead, followed by a commanding 11‑1 win. Akula clawed back to take the third set 11‑8, but Ghorpade closed the match with an 11‑7 set and a 13‑11 finish.
Ghorpade’s path to the championship was a tight marathon. She edged Sutirtha Mukherjee in a seven‑game battle 6‑11, 11‑5, 7‑11, 11‑9, 5‑11, 11‑4, 11‑9, and earlier knocked off teenager Syndrela Das 11‑9 in the deciding game of that round.
Beyond singles, the men’s doubles title was claimed by Malaysia’s Shen Qi Wong and Javen Choong, who defeated the Indian pair Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah 11‑9, 12‑10, 11‑7. In women’s doubles, Sreeja Akula and Syndrela Das triumphed over Ghorpade and Divyanshi Bhowmick 11‑8, 11‑13, 11‑8, 11‑6, while the Indian duo of Taneesha Kotecha and Manav secured mixed‑doubles gold against the Chinese pair Ai Xin Tee and Richard Rui Zhe Yap 11‑8, 10‑12, 10‑12, 11‑9, 11‑5.
Held from July 27 to August 2, this was the first Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships since 2019. India’s haul of six of the seven gold medals marks its strongest performance in the event’s history. Payas Jain, who narrowly missed selection for India’s Asian Games squad, expressed relief at his victory, while Ghorpade underscored the win’s importance for her career after a recent loss in the women’s doubles final.
The championships run parallel to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, scheduled July 23‑August 2. Results in New Delhi may influence selections for the Games, though the two events are organized separately. India’s success underscores the growing depth of the nation’s table‑tennis talent and positions its players as strong contenders for upcoming international competitions, including the Asian Games in Nagoya and the World Cup series.
With the championships concluded, the focus now shifts to Glasgow, where Indian athletes will aim to translate their domestic triumphs onto the international stage.
The men’s singles final stretched to 70 minutes, with Ankur Bhattacharjee overcoming compatriot Payas Jain in a seven‑game duel. Bhattacharjee opened strong with an 11‑8 win, but Jain surged back to claim the next two sets 11‑9 and 11‑7. After a brief lull, Bhattacharjee rebounded, taking the fourth set 11‑8, and then turned the tide, edging Jain 11‑7 in the fifth before dominating the final two games 11‑4 and 11‑9. Analysts noted Bhattacharjee’s sharpened service returns, which produced a nine‑point streak in the sixth set.
Jain’s journey to the final began with a decisive 11‑9, 11‑7, 5‑11, 12‑10, 11‑9 victory over Manush Shah in the semi‑final, while Bhattacharjee dispatched Manav Thakkar in straight sets 8‑11, 11‑8, 11‑8, 11‑8, 11‑8.
The women’s final was a more one‑sided affair. Yashaswini Ghorpade opened with an 11‑6 lead, followed by a commanding 11‑1 win. Akula clawed back to take the third set 11‑8, but Ghorpade closed the match with an 11‑7 set and a 13‑11 finish.
Ghorpade’s path to the championship was a tight marathon. She edged Sutirtha Mukherjee in a seven‑game battle 6‑11, 11‑5, 7‑11, 11‑9, 5‑11, 11‑4, 11‑9, and earlier knocked off teenager Syndrela Das 11‑9 in the deciding game of that round.
Beyond singles, the men’s doubles title was claimed by Malaysia’s Shen Qi Wong and Javen Choong, who defeated the Indian pair Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah 11‑9, 12‑10, 11‑7. In women’s doubles, Sreeja Akula and Syndrela Das triumphed over Ghorpade and Divyanshi Bhowmick 11‑8, 11‑13, 11‑8, 11‑6, while the Indian duo of Taneesha Kotecha and Manav secured mixed‑doubles gold against the Chinese pair Ai Xin Tee and Richard Rui Zhe Yap 11‑8, 10‑12, 10‑12, 11‑9, 11‑5.
Held from July 27 to August 2, this was the first Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships since 2019. India’s haul of six of the seven gold medals marks its strongest performance in the event’s history. Payas Jain, who narrowly missed selection for India’s Asian Games squad, expressed relief at his victory, while Ghorpade underscored the win’s importance for her career after a recent loss in the women’s doubles final.
The championships run parallel to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, scheduled July 23‑August 2. Results in New Delhi may influence selections for the Games, though the two events are organized separately. India’s success underscores the growing depth of the nation’s table‑tennis talent and positions its players as strong contenders for upcoming international competitions, including the Asian Games in Nagoya and the World Cup series.
With the championships concluded, the focus now shifts to Glasgow, where Indian athletes will aim to translate their domestic triumphs onto the international stage.
