ITTF World Championships: Manika Batra, Manav Thakkar Advance as Sathiyan Faces Early Exit

Image Source: The Bridge

India’s campaign at the 2025 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships in Doha saw a mix of triumphs and setbacks on Day 2, with Manika Batra and Manav Thakkar powering into the round of 64 while seasoned paddler Sathiyan Gnanasekaran bowed out in the first round.

Manika Batra Dominates:

Seeded 22nd, Manika Batra breezed past Nigeria’s Fatima Bello with a commanding 4-0 (11-5, 11-6, 11-8, 11-2) win in just 24 minutes. She lost only 21 points across four games and now faces Korea’s Park Gahyeon in the next round.

Manav Thakkar Impresses:

India’s top-ranked men’s singles player, Manav Thakkar, started strong with a 4-1 (11-3, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 14-12) victory over Timothy Choi of New Zealand, showing composure under pressure to secure his spot in the round of 64.

Sathiyan Gnanasekaran Exits:

Experienced campaigner Sathiyan suffered a straight-game defeat (0-4) to France’s Thibault Poret, ending his singles and doubles run early in the tournament.

Mixed Results for India:

Youngster Ankur Bhattacharjee lost 1-4 to Hong Kong’s Lam Siu Hang on his World Championships debut. In doubles, the pair of Manush Shah and Diya Chitale advanced, while other Indian pairs faced early exits.

India’s hopes now rest on Manika and Manav as they look to continue their strong run in the world’s premier table tennis event.

Sources: The Bridge, Times Now News, Olympics.com, Hindustan Times