Payas Jain Upsets G. Sathiyan at WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 Event
The ongoing WTT Star Contender 2025 in Chennai has witnessed some dramatic scenes already, as former Under -17 World No. 1, Payas Jain produced the biggest upset of the opening day. It is a Table Tennis event, gaining popularity with each passing year.
His heroics have successfully managed to knock out Commonwealth Games and Asian Games medallist Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, in the Round of 64 on March 27.
The clear sweep of 3-1 victory (11-8, 2-11, 11-8, 11-3) worked in Jain’s favor, as the 20-year-old athlete, ranked 220 globally, beat the 32-year-old G. Sathiyan, ranked 101 in the world rankings.
Ther former ITTF Youth World No. 1, Payas displayed unwavering grit and confidence as he took on the hugely experienced Sathiyan and managed to topple his game. He advances from the round of 64 to round of 32, in the men’s singles category.
Later in the day, Indian table tennis legend Sharath Kamal began his farewell event with a 3-0 (11-7, 11-9, 12-10) win over qualifier Anirban Ghosh. Sharath also partnered with Snehit Suravajjula in the men’s doubles category, to defeat Australia’s Nicholas Lum and Finn Luu in a five-game thrilling encounter.
In a gripping all-Indian women’s singles clash, Ayhika Mukherjee edged past wildcard and her doubles partner Sutirtha Mukherjee in a five-game thriller.
For the unversed, WTT (World Table Tennis) is the commercial and events platform of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). This initiative aims to revolutionize the sport’s experience and delivery, focusing on combining sport and entertainment, engaging fans through innovation, and inspiring future generations of players and fans.
WTT is responsible for organizing and promoting table tennis tournaments and events globally. The WTT Star Contender will continue with the main draw on March 28, Friday also.
Created in 2019, this tournament was created similar to a commercial wing of the ITTF. With big prize money, and several rules changed, WTT differs from its predecessor ITTF World Tour.
From 25 to 30 March 2025, the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium has been transformed into a high-octane arena, where table tennis stars are battling it out in adrenaline-pumping matches, jaw-dropping rallies, and the world’s finest players giving it their all.
Chennai, a city with a rich tradition and culture in table tennis, is the ideal choice for hosting this global event. The bustling city of Chennai signals WTT’s relentless drive to electrify the fans of the sports, and the debut in this city surely promises to be iconic.
The event boasts 600 ranking points for winners and a USD 275,000 prize purse, with top global paddlers in action.
WTT Star Contender Event has big names of Indian TT fraternity, Sreeja Akula, Manika Batra, Anirban Ghosh, Sanil Shetty, Manav Thakkar, Sharath Kamal and others.
