After conquering junior level, Yashaswini hopes to hold her own against world’s best

The above quatrain on Yashaswini Ghorpade was posted by the Goa Challengers Instagram page a few days ahead of the Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 final.

“I would say I am a very shy person. I am an introvert. I am pretty close with people I know, but I can’t go and speak to people naturally,” Yashaswini told Sportstar just hours prior to the UTT final.

While she lent some truth to the lines that depicted her as a soft-spoken person, Yashaswini showcased her ‘fierce’ game when she got the better of Mouma Das and Sutirtha Mukherjee. With a strong backhand defence and decisive forehand drives, she beat the experienced campaigners.

“Surely I need to stick to my backhand, of course. It’s my strong point and I would not let go of it. Maybe in some crucial points, attacking would keep the opponent confused and that would be a good thing for my game,” she explained, hoping to emulate Manika Batra going forward.

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Both Bengal paddlers were handed 1-2 losses by the Karnataka player during the fifth edition of the UTT, which Yashaswini went on to win with the Challengers in her debut season.

“Yeah, I really had so many expectations. Getting to play in front of big crowds and under so many spotlights, while being in the defending champions team, it’s amazing,” she said on her first time in the franchise-based league.

Shortly after lifting the UTT title, Yashaswini made her way to colder climes. She took part in the National Ranking Championships in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. However, the conditions weren’t her favourite.

“I like playing fast. In Chennai, the hall was air-conditioned, and the environment was good. It was like an international tournament. In Kangra, it was raining sometimes. There was moisture,” she explained over a call.

Nonetheless, she took the changes in her stride and went on to win her first national ranking tournament after beating Reeth Rishya, a fellow PSPB (Petroleum Sports Promotion Board) athlete, 4-1 in the final of the women’s singles.

It has not even been a year since Yashaswini transitioned from the youth to the senior level. Despite the short time, she has gradually shown her capability of holding her own with the big guns.

From a lazy kid to a promising paddler

“It’s just been 8 months transitioning, so it’s been quite amazing I would say. Travelling with the Indian national team players on the WTT circuit has been great. The practice and those points and tips you get from senior players help a lot,” she said.

This year has been quite eventful for the young paddler. Partnering Diya Chitale, Yashaswini picked up the runner-up titles in women’s doubles at WTT Contender events in Tunis and Lagos.

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She even reached the quarterfinals of the Saudi Smash in May, alongside mixed doubles partner Harmeet Desai – Yashaswini’s captain at Goa Challengers – before bowing out to China’s Wang Chuqin and Sun Yinghsa.

Before she started participating in WTT Feeder tournaments and Contender events, Yashaswini was notching up titles in every category at the U-19 level. She holds the distinction of being the only Indian to have won gold in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles at this age level.

Last year, she clinched the U-19 women’s singles titles at the WTT Youth Contender in Brazil and the WTT Youth Star Contender in Qatar.

However, table tennis wasn’t always in the cards for the Bangalore teen.

“I had singing classes for a year. I was a kid who used to be lazy… used to watch a lot of TV. I used to be lean and fall sick often. That’s why my parents enrolled me into table tennis classes, which used to happen in my school’s auditorium. It was great starting there,” Yashaswini recalled picking up the paddle for the first time.

From taking up the sport to be more active, to becoming a promising player for the future, she is one of five Indian women who are currently ranked inside the top 100 in singles.

The World No. 87 was also named as one of the reserve players in the Indian women’s team for the upcoming Asian Championships scheduled to be held in October in Kazakhstan.

As for her immediate goals, Yashaswini will start her bid to enter the main draw of the China Smash when she faces a lower-ranked Audrey Zarif of France in the first round of qualification in the women’s singles.

“It’s a really big event. Everyone will be ready and I will go to give my best on the table. Hopefully, everything comes out well,” she said.