Ayhika-Ankur Duo Fights Their Way Into Main Draw at WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025

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Asian Games medallist Ayhika Mukherjee and three-time National Youth Champion Ankur Bhattacharjee showcased their resilience in the Mixed Doubles event at the WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 Presented by IndianOil, securing a spot in the main draw.

The duo faced a stiff challenge from Anirban Ghosh and Swastika Ghosh, eventually prevailing in an intense five-game match on Day 2 of the qualifying rounds.

Despite trailing twice, Ayhika's exceptional defensive play and Ankur's aggressive forehand winners turned the tide, earning them a hard-fought victory. Later in the day, Ankur partnered with Payas Jain in the Men's Doubles, pulling off a significant upset against the top-seeded Italian pair John Oyebode and Carlo Rossi, winning 3-1.

The prestigious WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 is hosted by Stupa Sports Analytics and Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) under the supervision of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). The event features a lucrative USD 275,000 prize purse and offers 600 ranking points for the winners.

Korean Dominance in Women's Doubles

In the Women's Doubles category, South Korea's Olympic medallists Shin Yubin and Ryu Hanna made a commanding entry into the main draw, defeating India's Diya Brahmachary and Anjali Rohilla in straight games. Meanwhile, the Chinese Taipei duo of Huang Yi-Hua and Huang Yi-Jie overwhelmed the Indian pair of Taneesha Kotecha and Sayali Wani with a clean sweep.

Tamil Nadu Duo Impresses

Local stars Abhinandh Pradhivadhi and Preyesh Suresh thrilled the home crowd with a dominant performance in Men's Doubles, easing past the USA's Tanish Pendse and Armaan Dalamal in straight games. The home advantage clearly boosted their confidence, making them a pair to watch in the upcoming rounds.

Indian Wildcards Shine

India's wildcard entries also made an impact. In Mixed Doubles, top-seeded wildcard pair Akash Pal and Poymantee Baisya breezed past Sarth Mishra and Sayali Wani with a comprehensive 3-0 victory. On the singles front, Divyanshi Bhowmick and Poymantee Baisya showcased determination, battling through four-game encounters to advance to the next round.

International Stars Make Strong Start

In the Men's Singles qualifiers, top seed Niagol Stoyanov from Italy and Hong Kong's Ho Kwan Kit displayed their superiority, both registering comfortable straight-game wins. Stoyanov defeated Priyanuj Bhattacharya while Ho overcame Agniv Gohain.

What's Next?

The action heats up as the main draw commences on Thursday, featuring top paddlers from around the world. Matches will be streamed live on SonyLiv and the WTT YouTube channel, ensuring fans don't miss a moment of the high-stakes competition.