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India Today
13-06-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Diya Chitale: The tiny titan of Indian table tennis dreams
It's easy to miss Diya Chitale in a crowd. Standing at 4 ft 11 inches tall, the diminutive 22-year-old moves with clinical economy — not a breath wasted, not a step more than necessary. You could walk past her without a second inside a table tennis court, she transforms. Chitale becomes a force of nature. She doesn't back down from a fight. You jeer her, she answers with a cold stare and an even colder forehand. You rile her up, and she just might feed off it — and hand you a Thunderbolts found that out the hard way. In a recent Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) match against Dabang Delhi, Chitale trailed 3-7. What followed was an eight-point blitz that left 19-year-old Ananya Chande stunned and the crowd silenced. Chitale thanked the pro-Kolkata crowd post-match for fuelling her comeback.'I think the drums really helped us until the end. Thank you for the drums,' said Diya in the post-match interview with the official broadcaster, referring to the arrangements done by the opponent down to injuries is part of the journey. Rising back from it is what defines you. Restarting with unstoppable energy @WTT Star Contender Chennai. Diya Chitale (@DiyaChitaleTT) March 25, 2025The Mumbaikar is one of the standout names in India's new wave of table tennis stars. She and her partner Manush Shah are currently ranked 11th in the world in mixed doubles and recently won the WTT Contender Tunis 2025. In a thrilling final, the third-seeded duo edged past Japan's second-seeded pair of Sora Matsushima and Olympic medallist Miwa rise has come at the right time for Indian table tennis. India qualified for the team events at the 2024 Paris Olympics for the first time since the sport was introduced in 1988. The country sent its largest-ever contingent — eight players — and saw its most iconic paddler, Achanta Sharath Kamal, honoured as India's sort of recognition can go a long way for the athletes who aspire to be future Olympians and that seems to hold true for Diya Chitale, who is hell-bent on ending the country's medal drought in the competition.'Table tennis has really been on the rise in the past few years, you know, like Manika winning the gold at the Commonwealth Games. Sreeja is doing really well. So I think everything is really moving in the right direction for Indian table tennis,' Chitale told India Today in an exclusive interaction in Ahmedabad, where she is currently playing Ultimate Table Tennis, India's premier table tennis UTT, which is now in its 6th edition, has allowed Indian players a platform to play against some of the biggest talents in the world, under the umbrella of franchises. Chitale, representing Dabang Delhi, is the tournament's most expensive Indian player. Retained for Rs 14.1 lakh tokens, she's repaid that investment by helping Delhi storm into the believes India's best shot at Olympic gold lies in mixed doubles, especially with more medal events opening up in LA 2028. And the way India is closing the gap, she says, the time is now.'I think in doubles is one aspect where I see if you have a big, big chance in winning a medal for India at the Olympics, because that is now a separate event,' Diya said.'And also, over the past few years, if you've seen, we have been beating, you know, top-ranked players and we are getting there. I mean, first, like previously, if you see, I think the gap was quite a lot, but I think slowly we are bridging the gap and it's getting better with time,' she being just 22, Chitale approaches the game — and life — with startling discipline. Asked about her daily schedule, Chitale stresses training, recovery, and diet, one that can only be accomplished by uncompromising discipline. Diya Chitale (PTI Photo) advertisementIt might be by coincidence that she's come to the interview with a jacket that has 'Virat' written on it. Her obsessive regimen and steely mindset mirror the cricketer she admires. There are more parallels. On the field of play, just like Kohli, she doesn't hold back. She shrieks. She stares down opponents. She gets into the game — and into their heads.'I think when I have a break time or some time off, then typically maybe Sundays, then normally catch up on some sleep, I think that's the first thing I do. But yeah, I also like my friends and cousins, like they live pretty close. So then we just hang out, maybe play some board games, card games,' Diya said.'Honestly, there's not so much time. But yeah, it's just when it's time, not really thinking about table tennis and all and just, I like watching movies, series, so maybe something like that or like I said, just play some games or just hang out here,' she about the last film she watched, she draws a blank. That level of focus leaves little room for anything outside her Olympic tunnel very self-motivated. Like, I think from the first step on my parents never really had to push me to go for training, even since I was very young, I think I have been a very self-motivated athlete, I would say,' Diya Chitale COACH, RIGHT TIMESelf-motivation takes you far — but in sport, the right coach can take you further. Chitale credits her rise to an early spark and timely guidance from Sachin Shetty. Her first TT experience was on family vacations as a child. It was only when she won a silver medal in the U12 nationals that her family got serious about the sport.'I was a very active child, and on vacations, I would play TT as a hobby. When I won bronze in my first district tournament as a child, the journey started from there. I won the silver medal in U12 in national championships, that is when I got serious,' Chitale recalled.'My coach Sachin Shetty, I think he was the mastermind behind all of this'Sachin's advice was blunt: if you want to win medals, not just represent India, you have to think outside the box. That meant training abroad, playing more international matches, and rebuilding her changing landscape of Indian sports has also been a wind beneath the wings of the young athlete. Since Neeraj Chopra's historic gold at the Tokyo Olympics, both the Indian public and the government have risen. Diya states that she is currently in the TOPS developmental scheme, which has been of massive help in her journey.'I've really seen the change through the years and I feel now other people also know players, other than cricket. If you are someone who is PV Sindhu, of course they know. You are someone who is Neeraj Chopra, of course they know now. So I think this is something that has really been changing and people are watching other sports also a lot nowadays. So, of course, to reach the level of cricket, it will, of course, take some time, I think. But I think it's just getting better with time,' Diya STANDS TO CENTRE STAGEOne part of the increase of awareness has to be attributed to the Ultimate Table Tennis competition, which started in 2017. For any aspiring athlete, it is important to see their heroes on TV, and more importantly, it is crucial for them to get a feel of the crowd, to soak in the energy. Diya Chitale reveals that she was in the stands during the first season of the tournament and absolutely loved her experience in is perhaps important in the development of her character on the court as well, which interacts with the crowd, feeds off them and lifts them up with her every passing played for the first time in the competition in 2023 - with her hometown team U Mumba. It was a disastrous season for her, where she failed to win a single match. But she swears that it taught her how to deal with pressure, with to 2025, she is the most expensive player in the auction and also one of the biggest players in the Indian circuit.'UTT started in 2017 and at that time, also, I was following everything very keenly. I was also actually in the stands, you know, I was there for the matches. In 2023, I finally got a chance. I was drafted into U Mumba and I got a chance to play. But yeah, my first season was not very good. I did not win a single match. I think the atmosphere here that they have created is totally different, like the pressure in these kinds of situations is on a different level, you know?' she Diya got up to leave, a wry smile flashed across her face. The 45-minute interview had eaten into her meticulously planned day — but she didn't seem if small deviations still bother her, she chuckled. She's learning to let go, she said. Learning not to grip her goals too tightly.'The more you hang on to something and the more pressure you put on it that, okay, I have to do this, I have to do this, the further it gets away. So this is something that I really learned over the past one, two years. So I think this is like what I have tried to change is just to put in everyday work and yeah, when it comes, it comes. If not, I will try one more time,' Chitale concluded.
The Hindu
09-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Dabang Delhi benefits from Sathiyan-Raman union
One of the features of the first five editions of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) was the Indian coaches preferring to pick their personal wards in their own team through the annual player draft. For the current edition, however, with the player auction being held for the first time, most such favourite pairs have been separated. But for the first time in in the franchise league, G. Sathiyan has been united with his personal coach S. Raman. And the successful combination has worked wonders with Dabang Delhi TTC having assured itself of a place in the semifinals with a match to spare. 'To have your personal coach on the bench is always an added advantage. It's just not the personal coach, but as a coach you can really change things around with your perspective. And Raman sir fits the bill on every count for Dabang Delhi,' Sathiyan told The Hindu. 'You don't need any introduction to Raman sir's achievements as a coach, so they (Dabang management) were happy to pick him without a thought. I am really happy that he could be there since you can only have one Indian coach in the side. He has played a huge role in creating a comfort zone for the players.' Raman, the former National champion who runs a successful centre of excellence in Chennai, had for some reason stayed away from joining the UTT. So did Sathiyan find it more challenging to convince his coach to join the bandwagon or the team owners to appoint him? 'Convincing Dabangg was much easier,' Sathiyan said, with a cheeky smile. 'Raman sir always wanted to be involved in UTT but with scheduling and everything, it wasn't to be so far. This time around, I really wanted him. The first time I asked him he said 'OK, let's close this time' and it's worked out well for the team.'
News18
07-06-2025
- Sport
- News18
Diya Chitale Guides Dabang Delhi To Close Win In UTT Season 6
Last Updated: Diya Chitale led Dabang Delhi to an 8-7 win over Kolkata ThunderBlades in UTT Season 6. Dempo Goa Challengers also beat PBG Pune Jaguars. Diya Chitale achieved a decisive victory over Ananya Chande in the final match, helping Dabang Delhi narrowly defeat Kolkata ThunderBlades in the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 6 on Friday. Earlier, reigning champions Dempo Goa Challengers won against PBG Pune Jaguars, driven by exceptional performances from power couple Harmeet Desai and Krittwika Sinha Roy. Delhi's triumph over Kolkata elevated them to the top of the standings, while Goa climbed to second place after their win. The match between Dabang Delhi and Kolkata ThunderBlades kicked off with a contest between two standout youngsters. Ankur Bhattacharjee continued his unbeaten streak by narrowly defeating Singapore's Izaac Quek 2-1 in a thrilling match, securing the decider on Golden Point after splitting the initial games. Puerto Rico's Adriana Diaz then gave Kolkata an early lead with a 2-1 singles victory over Maria Xiao. Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Maria Xiao retaliated for Delhi in mixed doubles, achieving a polished 2-1 victory and maintaining their unbeaten record this season. However, Kolkata's Aruna Quadri regained the lead with a strong win over Sathiyan in a heavyweight clash. advetisement With the match finely balanced, Diya Chitale demonstrated maturity with a 3-0 sweep over debutant Ananya, guiding Delhi to an exciting 8-7 victory. In the earlier encounter, Dempo Goa Challengers captain Harmeet continued his singles winning streak to three with a close 2-1 win over Alvaro Robles, while Krittwika returned to the lineup with a 2-1 victory over debutant Zion Lee. The duo of Harmeet and Zeng Jian cruised through mixed doubles, and Zeng subsequently handed Reeth Rishya her first loss of the season, culminating in Goa's dominant performance. Anirban Ghosh fought valiantly for Pune, securing two games for his team. (With PTI Inputs) About the Author Cricketnext Staff First Published: June 07, 2025, 08:26 IST
The Hindu
05-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
UTT 2025: Izaac Quek aims to end Singapore's 16-year medal drought at LA 2028 Olympics
The Singaporean table tennis community has high hopes from Izaac Quek. Half of the country's six Olympic medals have come in ping pong but there has been no podium-finish since 2012. Also, all three medallists were born in China. But the 19-year-old Izaac is a Singaporean through and through. The talented youngster, who doesn't have a sports background, already made history last year in Paris as the youngest-local born player to qualify for the Olympics. 'I started playing table tennis in school at the age of 7. My family didn't play table tennis at all. I randomly chose the sport because one time, I played with my family and I really enjoyed it. To be able to come from there to qualify for the Olympics was a dream,' said Izaac, who is playing for Dabang Delhi in Season 6 of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) league in Ahmedabad. ALSO READ | Indian players keen to learn as Fan Siqi ends eight-year Chinese absence In his debut UTT season, Izaac - the youngest overseas player - has already impressed everyone with wins over Kanak Jha and Portuguese Tiago Apolonia. He had a nervous start against Jha but after conceding the opener to the American, he has clinched five straight games. Apolonia, who is double the age of Izaac, and the 24-year-old Jha found themselves wanting when it came to keeping up with the quick reflexes. The low center of gravity - Izaac is 172cm tall - and raw power help the Singaporean produce winning shots even from some very difficult positions. For Izaac, the current Olympic cycle is very important for him after which he will be forced to leave the paddle for a while. | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI/The Hindu 'There are not many tournaments where you can team up with foreigners, fight and try to win a competition. We always see each other internationally but we are always competing against each other. Trying to adapt and playing together is a good opportunity for me,' said Izaac, describing his experience in India so far. For Izaac, having played all the major tournaments already, the next goal is to better his results at those events. The current Olympic cycle is very important for him after which he will be forced to leave the paddle for a while. 'In Singapore, for boys, two years of military training is compulsory. There are no exemptions even if I win a gold at the Olympics. I can only defer the national service. Right now, I am still in school but I'll be going for military training after the LA Olympics. So, either in late 2028 or 2029,' revealed the teenager. ALSO READ | Dabang Delhi TTC, PBG Pune Jaguars remain unbeaten after winning respective matches World No. 98 Izaac came into the national limelight after his run to the round of 16, which included wins over veterans Achanta Sharath Kamal and Sweden's Mattias Falck, at the Singapore Smash 2023. However, it's his consistency in doubles which could be crucial to the country's hopes of clinching an Olympic medal after 16 years. Izaac and Koen Pang, another local-born Singaporean, are World No. 11 in the men's doubles ITTF Rankings. They also grabbed a silver medal at the Asian Championships 2024. 'We didn't imagine reaching such a high level. We are trying to use that confidence and bring it to singles because we have a lot of room for improvement. The men's doubles are a separate event at the LA Olympics. So, me and Pang will be focussing on the doubles while also improving our singles,' said a hopeful Izaac.
The Hindu
05-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
UTT 2025: Izaac Quek aims to end Singapore's 14-year medal drought at LA 2028 Olympics
The Singaporean table tennis community has high hopes from Izaac Quek. Half of the country's six Olympic medals have come in ping pong but there has been no podium-finish since 2012. Also, all three medallists were born in China. But the 19-year-old Izaac is a Singaporean through and through. The talented youngster, who doesn't have a sports background, already made history last year in Paris as the youngest-local born player to qualify for the Olympics. 'I started playing table tennis in school at the age of 7. My family didn't play table tennis at all. I randomly chose the sport because one time, I played with my family and I really enjoyed it. To be able to come from there to qualify for the Olympics was a dream,' said Izaac, who is playing for Dabang Delhi in Season 6 of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) league in Ahmedabad. ALSO READ | Indian players keen to learn as Fan Siqi ends eight-year Chinese absence In his debut UTT season, Izaac - the youngest overseas player - has already impressed everyone with wins over Kanak Jha and Portuguese Tiago Apolonia. He had a nervous start against Jha but after conceding the opener to the American, he has clinched five straight games. Apolonia, who is double the age of Izaac, and the 24-year-old Jha found themselves wanting when it came to keeping up with the quick reflexes. The low center of gravity - Izaac is 172cm tall - and raw power help the Singaporean produce winning shots even from some very difficult positions. For Izaac, the current Olympic cycle is very important for him after which he will be forced to leave the paddle for a while. | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI/The Hindu 'There are not many tournaments where you can team up with foreigners, fight and try to win a competition. We always see each other internationally but we are always competing against each other. Trying to adapt and playing together is a good opportunity for me,' said Izaac, describing his experience in India so far. For Izaac, having played all the major tournaments already, the next goal is to better his results at those events. The current Olympic cycle is very important for him after which he will be forced to leave the paddle for a while. 'In Singapore, for boys, two years of military training is compulsory. There are no exemptions even if I win a gold at the Olympics. I can only defer the national service. Right now, I am still in school but I'll be going for military training after the LA Olympics. So, either in late 2028 or 2029,' revealed the teenager. ALSO READ | Dabang Delhi TTC, PBG Pune Jaguars remain unbeaten after winning respective matches World No. 98 Izaac came into the national limelight after his run to the round of 16, which included wins over veterans Achanta Sharath Kamal and Sweden's Mattias Falck, at the Singapore Smash 2023. However, it's his consistency in doubles which could be crucial to the country's hopes of clinching an Olympic medal after 16 years. Izaac and Koen Pang, another local-born Singaporean, are World No. 11 in the men's doubles ITTF Rankings. They also grabbed a silver medal at the Asian Championships 2024. 'We didn't imagine reaching such a high level. We are trying to use that confidence and bring it to singles because we have a lot of room for improvement. The men's doubles are a separate event at the LA Olympics. So, me and Pang will be focussing on the doubles while also improving our singles,' said a hopeful Izaac.
