When paddler Diya Chitale and her mixed-doubles partner Manush Shah qualified for the WTT Finals in Hong Kong (December 10 to 14) by virtue of being the fifth-ranked pair in the WTT Series Finals ranking, it was a case of achieving the target that the duo had set at the very start of the year.
In doing so, they also become the first Indians ever to qualify for the prestigious season-ending event. “It [qualifying for the WTT Finals] was our goal for the year, and becoming the first Indians to do so is a very big achievement for us. Only the Top 7 pairs make it to these Finals, so I’m very happy and excited to be in it,” Santacruz-based Chitale told mid-day.
Consistent results
Chitale and Shah’s rise through the ranks should not come as a surprise. They’ve been playing together for two years now after joining forces in October 2023, where they reached the quarter-finals in their maiden outing at the WTT Contender Muscat, immediately showing the kind of synergy that has held them in good stead. The duo have been the epitome of consistency, reaching the quarter-final stage in nine of the 11 tournaments they’ve played this year, with their crowning glory being the title win at the WTT Contender Tunis (in Tunisia), where they beat Japanese second seed Miwa Harimoto and Sora Matsushima.
When asked about the secret to their success, Chitale explained: “We have very similar playing styles; we’re both really aggressive and prefer open rallies, so that shared outlook towards how to approach a match really helps us. Plus, after playing together for two years, we know each other’s game inside out, and are able to set each other up in order to finish off a point.”
In terms of her own journey in the sport, Chitale, 22, revealed that she initially took to table tennis to pass her time, not knowing it would later morph into a career.
“I started playing table tennis as a hobby at the age of eight. I played in school [Arya Vidya Mandir, Santacruz] or with my friends. The real turning point came in 2014, when I won a silver medal at the National Championship in the U-12 category. That’s when my hobby turned into passion,” Chitale said. Her first international tournament came at the age of 12 (in Bahrain) in 2015, and she hasn’t looked back since, thanks to a strong work ethic and rigorous training regime that she undergoes at Khar Gymkhana.
“I train in the morning and evening. Each period includes two-and-a-half hours of table tennis sessions, plus fitness sessions and gym work that lasts for about one-and-a-half hour. In the gym, I do a mix of strength, power, and explosive training, in order to have a strong core and strong legs, which is vital in our sport,” explained Chitale, who has done her Bachelors in Business Administration (BBA) from Chitkara University, Chandigarh.
‘WTT Finals will be tough’
Casting an eye on the WTT Finals, Chitale knows it’ll be an uphill task taking on the top-ranked pairs, and insists Manush and she cannot afford to get too far ahead of themselves. “I think just playing in this tournament will be a great experience for us. I don’t want to think too far ahead. We’ll take it one match at a time, and just give our best,” Chitale signed off.