This is the first time in a little over a decade that two Indian pairs — Manav-Manush and Manush-Diya — have been seeded in the World Championships. Is this the perfect time for Indian table tennis to widen its horizons?
Indian table tennis has always focused largely on singles. From Achanta Sharath Kamal and G. Sathiyan to Manika Batra, individuals have broken through on the biggest stage to give the sport’s identity some muscle in the country.
However, the event roster for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics has moved the spotlight on doubles with the introduction of the mixed team event in the sport.
Though the International Table Tennis Federation is yet to formalise the format of the mixed team event, there would likely be five matches in a fixture: a mixed doubles match, followed by women’s singles, men’s singles, women’s doubles, and men’s doubles.
Source: The Hindu