Top Indian players gearing up for the WTT Star Contender Chennai 2026 will face a challenging draw at the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University. Semifinalist Manav Thakkar, Sathiyan G, and Manush Shah received byes in the opening round. There’s a possibility of a face-off between Manav and Manush in the Round of 16.
Sathiyan, seeded 10th, may meet Harmeet Desai in the pre-quarters if Desai surpasses Eduard Ionescu in the second round. Sathiyan might also face Lim Jonghoon of Korea in the Round of 16. If the Indian players progress to the pre-quarterfinals, India is ensured of at least one spot in the men’s singles semi-finals.
The women’s singles players have a tough road ahead, meeting seeded players early on. National Champion Diya Chitale faces Anusha Kutumbale in the opening round, with Hitomi Sato awaiting her in Round Two. Ayhika Mukherjee and Yashaswini Ghorpade also have challenging matchups in the tournament.
In the paired events, India’s top seeds Manush and Diya will need to overcome Korean qualifiers to advance. Several Indian players, including Ankur Bhattacharjee, Jash Modi, and young talents like Tanishka Kalbhairav, have qualified for the main draw.
