CHENNAI, Mar 30:
History was made at the WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 as Japan’s Miwa Harimoto and South Korea’s Oh Jun-sung clinched the singles titles, while India’s Manav Thakkar scripted a landmark achievement with a spirited semifinal run.
At the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, 24-year-old Thakkar became the first-ever Indian male paddler to reach a WTT Star Contender semifinal, thrilling home fans with his aggressive play and resilience.
However, Thakkar’s dream-run ended in a gripping battle against World No 54 Thibault Poret of France. Despite a valiant effort, Thakkar fell 1-3 (12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-7), bowing out with his head held high after a hard-fought contest.
Poret, however, could not convert his momentum into a title triumph, falling to South Korea’s 18-year-old sensation Oh Jun-sung in a nail-biting final. The young Korean, playing with remarkable composure, secured a dramatic 4-3 (9-11, 11-7, 11-3, 9-11, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7) victory, capturing his maiden WTT Star Contender crown.
The women’s singles final delivered another exhilarating showdown, as 16-year-old Paris 2024 Olympic medallist Miwa Harimoto triumphed over compatriot Honoka Hashimoto 4-2 (9-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-9, 10-12, 11-7). The match witnessed breathtaking rallies and a strategic shift under the Expedite Rule, which forced both players to adopt a faster approach.
Harimoto’s agility and tactical brilliance saw her seize control of the match, earning her first-ever WTT Star Contender singles title. (PTI)
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