Syndrela Das, Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ankur Bhattacharjee emerged as giant-killers on Saturday, spearheading a dominant Indian showing as the host nation secured a clean sweep of the singles podium at the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex.

The Bengal trio upset higher-ranked Australian opponents in the quarterfinals, ensuring all eight semifinal berths across the men’s and women’s singles belonged to India. With the doubles events also entering the decisive phase, the host remained on course for a clean sweep of titles.

The biggest upset of the tournament came courtesy of 16-year-old Syndrela, who stunned top seed and World No. 31 Yangzi Liu in six games. Having lost to the Australian in Ultimate Table Tennis barely a fortnight ago, Syndrela turned the tables with a fearless display, repeatedly catching Yangzi off guard with her ferocious winners.

The teenager looked set for a comfortable finish after racing to an 8-2 lead in the sixth game. Yangzi, however, mounted a spirited comeback, claiming six of the next seven points to reduce the deficit to 9-8. Syndrela’s tactical timeout proved decisive. Regaining her composure, she produced a trademark backhand winner before Yangzi miscued a backhand topspin, sealing the biggest victory of the youngster’s career.

Minutes earlier, Sutirtha had accounted for second seed Min Hyung Jee in five games, relying on her powerful forehand winners to book her place in the semifinals.

The men’s quarterfinal between Ankur and third seed Nicholas Lum provided the afternoon’s most absorbing contest. It turned into a fascinating tactical duel between Lum’s explosive forehand topspins and Ankur’s backhand-oriented game, with the animated Indian feeding off the home crowd’s energy to script a memorable victory.

Hometown hero Payas Jain, too, bested fourth seed Harmeet Desai in an absorbing all-Indian contest to set up a last-four clash against top seed Manush Shah.

The results: Quarterfinals: Singles: Men: Manush Shah bt Aditya Sareen (Aus) 11-6, 11-8, 2-11, 13-15, 11-8, 11-5; Payas Jain bt Harmeet Desai 8-11, 12-10, 12-14, 12-10, 11-6, 11-9; Ankur Bhattacharjee bt Nicholas Lum (Aus) 7-11, 15-13, 10-12, 11-5, 11-9, 11-9; Manav Thakkar bt Connor Green (Eng) 5-11, 11-8, 13-11, 11-8, 11-6.

Women: Syndrela Das bt Yanzgi Liu (Aus) 10-12, 11-9, 12-10, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8; Sreeja Akula bt Tin-Tin Ho (Eng) 13-11, 1-4, 11-9, 12-10; Yashaswini Ghorpade bt Constantina Psihogios (Aus) 11-5, 11-5, 11-8, 11-5; Sutirtha Mukherjee bt Min Hyung Jee (Aus) 11-6, 11-3, 10-12, 11-6, 11-7.

Doubles: Men: Manav Thakkar & Manush Shah bt Connor Hunter & Joseph Green (Eng) 11-7, 11-4, 12-10; G. Sathiyan & Harmeet Desai bt Josh Chua & Nicholas Tan (Sgp) 9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-8; Wong Qi Shen & Javen Choong (Mas) 12-10, 11-7, 4-11, 13-11; Nicholas Lum & Aditya Sareen bt Akash Pal & S.F.R. Snehit 4-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8.

Women: Constantina Psihogios & Yangzi Liu (Aus) bt Sutirtha Mukherjee & Swastika Ghosh 11-9, 11-7, 4-11, 11-1; Yashaswini Ghorpade & Divyanshi Bhowmick bt Tin-Tin Ho & Cheuk Wong (Eng) 11-9, 11-8, 11-5; Taneesha Kotecha & Sayali Wani bt Min Hyung Jee & Jiamuwa Wu 11-9, 11-8, 10-12, 11-4; Sreeja Akula & Syndrela Das bt Ai Xin Tee & Karen Lyne (Mas) 6-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 14-12.

Semifinals: Mixed doubles: Richard Yap & Ai Xan Tee (Mas) bt Ronit Bhanja & Anusha Kutumbale 11-8, 11-7, 4-11; 4-11, 11-9; G. Sathiyan & Sreeja Akula bt Aditya Sareen & Constantina Psihogios (Aus) 11-5, 11-5, 8-11, 11-8.

Published – August 01, 2026 08:40 pm IST

India’s Yashaswini Ghorpade overcame a spirited challenge from Singapore teenager Chong Sian Zi to enter the women’s singles pre-quarterfinals at the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships at the Thyagaraj Stadium on Friday.

Fresh from playing a key role in India’s team gold medal triumph, the third seed prevailed 4-1, but the scoreline scarcely reflected the quality of resistance offered by the 15-year-old Singaporean.

Chong countered Yashaswini’s long-pimpled backhand with impressive composure, refusing to be drawn into errors and matching the Indian in extended rallies. The only one-sided game came in the third, when Yashaswini unleashed a series of forehand winners that left the teenager with few answers. Undeterred, Chong continued to trouble the Indian with her fearless shot-making before eventually bowing out.

With the host nation allowed to field 16 paddlers each in the men’s and women’s singles, the Indians dominated the day’s action and secured a majority of berths in the pre-quarterfinals.

Sayali Wani kept India’s campaign on track with a hard-fought victory over Malaysia’s Ying Ho, while Yashini Sivashankar exited after an encouraging display against Australia’s Constantina Psihogios. The young Indian repeatedly tested the Australian before going down in a closely fought contest.

Top seed Yangzi Liu of Australia, the highest-ranked player in the tournament, avenged her defeat in the team championships by brushing aside Malaysia’s Karen Lyne in straight games to progress comfortably.

In the men’s singles, Payas Jain, a member of India’s gold medal-winning team, proved too strong for Malaysia’s Choong Javen to move into the last 16. Defensive specialist H. Jeho ended compatriot Mudit Dani’s campaign with a clinical victory in an all-Indian encounter, while Ronit Bhanja produced an entertaining 4-1 win over Singapore’s Ellsworth Le to complete another successful day for the home contingent.

Important Results: Singles (round of 32): Men: Jash Modi bt Thisas Methkalana (SL) 11-2, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5; Akash Pal bt August Xiao (NZ) 11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6; Payas Jain bt Javen Choong (Mas) 11-7, 13-11, 11-6, 11-5; Sanil Shetty bt Eli Ho (NZ) 11-7, 11-8, 11-8; Harmeet Desai bt Xuqi Lin (Aus) 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-6, 11-4; H. Jeho bt Mudit Dani 11-8, 11-3, 11-3, 11-8; Ronit Bhanja bt Ellsworth Le (Sgp) 11-5, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 15-13; Manav Thakkar bt Akhyar Ahmed Khalid (Mdv) 11-7, 11-7, 11-6, 11-2.

Women: Yanzgi Liu (Aus) bt Karen Lyne Anak Dick (Mas) 11-4, 11-4, 11-7, 11-2; Swastika Ghosh bt Olivia Huang (CAN) 11-7, 11-2, 11-6, 11-6; Anusha Kutumbale bt Jocelyn Lam (NZ) 10-12, 11-3, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5; Tin-Tin Ho (Eng) bt Kavya Bhatt 6-11, 11-2, 11-4, 11-1, 11-2; Taneesha Kotecha bt Anzhou Han (NZ) 11-4, 11-8, 11-6, 11-7; Ai Xin Tee (Mas) bt Suhana Saini 11-6, 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6; Nithyashree Mani bt Fiona Iayi Nie (Can) 11-2, 11-6, 11-5, 13-11; Sayali Wani bt Ying Ho (Mas) 12-10, 13-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-9; Constantina Psihogios (Aus) Yashini Sivasankar 5-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-9, 9-11, 19-17; Yashaswini Ghorpade bt Sian Zi Chong (Sgp) 11-8, 11-7, 11-2, 11-13, 12-10.

Published – July 31, 2026 08:35 pm IST

Sreeja again came up an inspired display to sustain India’s fortunes.
| Photo Credit: SHASHI SHEKHAR KASHYAP