CHENNAI: In a thrilling comeback at the WTT Contender event, India’s Snehit Suravajjula overcame a 0-2 deficit to defeat Japan’s 13th seed Mizuki Oikawa 3-2 (9-11, 15-17, 11-4, 11-6, 18-16) on Friday. The 25-year-old secured his spot in the men’s singles pre-quarterfinals, where he will face top seed Oh Junseong of Korea in the round of 16.
The match unfolded at the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University with high drama. Snehit, who entered without high expectations, found himself trailing after losing the first two games narrowly. But he turned the tide with dominant performances in the third and fourth games, forcing a decider.
In the nail-biting fifth game, Snehit stayed composed. ‘I just told myself to focus on one point at a time and not think about the score,’ he revealed post-match. ‘I’d made mistakes on earlier match points, so I kept my cool.’
Reflecting on his mindset, Snehit added that losing the opening games actually boosted his confidence. ‘After the first game 9-11, I doubted if I could match her level. The second loss gave me belief I could win the next.’
Meanwhile, in men’s doubles, the experienced Indian pair of Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Harmeet Desai crushed France’s third seeds Florian Bourasod and Esteban Dor 3-0 (11-7, 11-9, 11-7) to advance to the semifinals. They will take on Korea’s second seeds Lim Jonghoon and Oh Junseong next.
In mixed doubles, wildcard entrants Payas Jain and Sindrella Das pulled off a stunning 3-1 (12-10, 13-11, 10-12, 11-9) victory over top seeds Manush Shah and Diya Chitale, booking their semifinal berth.
Snehit’s victory marks a significant milestone, showcasing India’s rising prowess in table tennis on the international stage. Fans are eagerly awaiting his clash with the top seed.