Table Tennis rankings: Manav Thakkar Enters Top 50 as Sharath Kamal Bids Farewell at No. 80

Manav Thakkar has broken into the ITTF World Rankings Top 50 for the first time, claiming the No. 47 spot — a significant achievement in his table tennis career.

Meanwhile, Snehit Suravajjula has broken into the Top 100 for the first time, securing No. 89. In a poignant turn, Sharath Kamal, who had announced his retirement from competitive table tennis, concluding his illustrious career at World No. 80. Suravajjula’s victory over Kamal in their final match marked a symbolic end to the veteran’s career.

India’s campaign at the WTT Star Contender in Chennai came to an end on Sunday, with Thakkar’s 3-1 loss to world No. 54 Thibault Poret of France in the men’s singles semifinal. Thakkar, who had made history as the first Indian male to reach a WTT Star Contender semifinal, put up a strong fight in a high-energy match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium. Despite a spirited effort, Thakkar was ultimately outplayed by the 20-year-old Frenchman, who clinched the win with scores of 12-10, 11-9, 7-11, and 11-7.