Delhi, 29 October (H.S.): Indian table tennis duo Manush Shah and Diya Chitale achieved a historic milestone on Tuesday by becoming the first pair from India to qualify for the prestigious WTT Finals.According to the latest WTT Series Finals Race rankings, Shah and Chitale were confirmed as the fifth mixed doubles team to secure a place in the year-end tournament, which is scheduled to take place in Hong Kong, China, from December 10 to 14.

The top seven pairs in the final race rankings following the WTT Star Contender Muscat (November 17-22) will earn direct qualification, with the eighth spot reserved for a wildcard entry from the host nation.The Indian pair, currently ranked eighth by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), earned their spot through a series of outstanding performances this season.

Their most significant achievement was winning the WTT Contender Tunis in April, where they defeated Japan’s Miwa Harimoto and Sora Matsushima in the final to claim their biggest international title. They also recorded impressive victories at the US Smash in July and the WTT Contender Buenos Aires.

The WTT Finals, inaugurated in 2021, will feature a mixed doubles event this year instead of men’s and women’s doubles, alongside the 16-player men’s and women’s singles draws. The tournament boasts a total prize pool of $1.3 million. In the mixed doubles category, the eight pairs will be divided into two groups of four, with the top teams advancing to the semifinals.All matches will be played in a best-of-five-game format.

Reflecting on the achievement, Diya Chitale stated, “It is a tremendous honor to play in a major tournament like the Finals, and it brings even greater pride that we are the first Indians to achieve this. This moment isn’t just for us—it symbolizes the progress of Indian table tennis. We will do our best to make it memorable.”

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar