Published: August 3, 2026 at 5:02 pm
Sreeja Akula won four medals at the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships. Though the RBI player fell to Yashaswini Ghorpade in the women’s singles final, she claimed the gold in the women’s doubles and gold in the team event. She also bagged a bronze in the women’s doubles event.
The men’s singles lived up to expectations, as both young players delivered a high-quality contest that swung repeatedly before Ankur Bhattacharjee emerged a deserving 4-3 winner over Payas Jain at the Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi.
Payas looked set for victory after opening a 7-4 lead in the deciding game. However, Ankur called a timeout that disrupted his opponent’s rhythm, fought back to level at 8-8, and then edged ahead 10-9. He eventually sealed the title 11-9 when Payas’ final return drifted long, capping a dramatic comeback and earning his biggest international crown.
It was so near, yet so far. Payas Jain came close and lost another title at home after doing so last year at the Senior Nationals in Surat, where he lost to Manush Shah, whom he accounted for today in the semifinals.
Ankur Bhattacharjee stunned Payas Jain to win the men’s singles title
Earlier, Yashaswini Ghorpade delivered a commanding performance to defeat Sreeja Akula 4-1 in the women’s singles final and claim the title.
India dominated the championships, winning all but one of the gold medals on offer. The lone title to elude the hosts came in the men’s doubles, where Malaysia’s pair pulled off an upset by defeating the Indian combination of Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah in the final.
Sreeja falls to Yashaswini
Yashaswini Ghorpade capped off an impressive campaign by clinching the women’s singles title with a commanding 4-1 victory over second seed Sreeja Akula. Yashaswini dominated the opening two games, racing to an 11-6, 11-1 lead and putting Sreeja under immense pressure. Sreeja responded admirably, taking the third game 11-8 to keep her hopes alive, but Yashaswini quickly regained control, claiming the fourth game 11-7 and moving within touching distance of the title.
The fifth game produced the most entertaining contest of the match, with both players matching each other point-for-point in a tense finish. Although Sreeja fought hard and saved two championship points, she failed to benefit from crucial opportunities at the business end. Yashaswini held her nerve to convert her third match point, sealing a 13-11 victory and the championship in style.
The men’s singles semifinals delivered high-quality matches before Payas and Ankur advanced to the final with composed performances. Payas overcame Manush Shah 4-1, weathering a spirited fightback after dropping the third game and edging a pivotal deuce in the fourth. Ankur, meanwhile, recovered from losing the opener to outplay Manav Thakkar for an identical scoreline, reeling off four successive games to complete an impressive comeback.
Yashaswini Ghorpade defeated Sreeja Akula to win the women’s singles title
The women’s singles semifinals, however, stole the spotlight with two absorbing seven-game battles.
Second-seeded Sreeja survived a stiff challenge from Syndrela Das to prevail 4-3 in a contest that ebbed and flowed until the very end. After taking the opening game, Syndrela appeared set to draw level at 2-2, racing to a comfortable lead in the fourth. But Sreeja mounted a spirited recovery to force deuce and snatch the game, turning the momentum decisively in her favor.
https://x.com/PEBranchGNCTD/status/2084017293726736492?s=20
Although Syndrela regrouped admirably to win the fifth and sixth games and force a decider, the missed opportunity in the fourth seemed to undermine her confidence in the closing stages. The seventh game remained neck-and-neck before Sreeja held her composure on the crucial points to secure her place in the final.
The other semifinal was no less gripping as Yashaswini and Sutirtha Mukherjee traded blows in an evenly matched encounter. Sutirtha led 3-2 after both players had split the opening four games, but Yashaswini delivered an outstanding finish. She dominated the sixth game to level the match, then held her composure in a tense decider, winning 4-3 to complete a memorable comeback and book the second berth in the final.
In the men’s doubles final, contrary to expectations, Malaysia’s Shen Qi Wong and Javen Choong delivered a clinical display, defeating India’s Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah, the world No. 2 pair, in straight games. The Malaysian pair edged two closely contested opening games before taking control in the third to secure the title. The Malaysians, who demonstrated superior understanding, denied the Indians a clean sweep of gold medals.
Sreeja & Syndrela claim doubles title
In the all-Indian women’s doubles final, Sreeja Akula and Syndrela Das delivered a commanding performance, defeating Yashaswini Ghorpade and Divyanshi Bhowmick 3-1. After claiming the opening game, the eventual champions briefly lost momentum as their opponents flattened the contest by taking the second game, which was extended. However, Sreeja and Syndrela quickly regained control, dictating the pace and applying sustained pressure. Despite their opponents making it 4-4 in the fourth game, they sealed their fate to clinch the gold medal.
https://x.com/SportsArena1234/status/2083971723255554517?s=20
The mixed doubles final featured a spirited comeback by India’s Manav Thakkar and Taneesha Kotecha, who defeated Malaysia’s Ai Xin and Richard Rui 3-2. Trailing 1-2, the Indian duo displayed remarkable composure and teamwork, raising their level when it mattered most to win the final two games and secure the gold medal in impressive fashion.
Indian teams triumph
Left proved right. Manush Shah emerged as the hero as India’s men overcame a resilient Malaysia 3-2 in the final of the team event, lifting the glittering trophy at the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships at the Thyagaraj Stadium on Thursday.
Earlier, the women’s squad thrashed Malaysia without breaking a sweat, wrapping up the final with a 3-0 verdict.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta gave away the medals and prize money to the medal winners.
Results:
Men’s Singles: Final: Ankur Bhattacharjee (Ind) beat Payas Jain (Ind) 11-8, 9-11, 7-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-4, 11-9. Semifinals: Payas beat Manush Shah (Ind) 11-9, 11-7, 5-11, 12-10, 11-9; Ankur beat Manav Thakkar (Ind) 8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8.
Men’s doubles (final): Shen Qi Wong/Javen Choong (Mas) beat Manav Thakkar/Manush Shah (Ind) 11-9, 12-10, 11-7.
Women’s singles (final): Yashaswini Ghorpade (Ind) beat Sreeja Akula (Ind) 11-6, 11-1, 8-11, 11-7, 13-11. Semifinals: Sreeja beat Syndrela Das (Ind) 10-12, 11-7, 11-8, 12-10, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9; Yashaswini beat Sutirtha Mukherjee (Ind) 6-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-4, 11-9.
Women’s doubles (final): Sreeja Akula/ Syndrela Das (Ind) beat Yashaswini Ghorpade/ Divyanshi Bhowmick (Ind) 11-8, 11-13, 11-8, 11-6.
Mixed doubles (final): Taneesha Kotecha/ Manav Thakkar (Ind) beat Ai Xin Tee/ Richard Rui Zhe Yap (Mas) 11-8, 10-12, 10-12, 11-9, 11-5.
Team finals: Men: India beat Malaysia 3-2 (Manav Thakkar beat Javen Choong 12-10, 11-7, 5-11, 11-5, Manush Shah beat Qi Shen Wong 11-13, 11-9, 11-7, 2-11, 11-7, G. Sathiyan lost to Hong Yu Tey 7-11, 8-11, 10-12, Manav lost to Wong 11-4, 8-11, 11-8, 7-11, 1-11, Manush beat Choong 11-7, 11-4, 11-4).
Women: India beat Malaysia 3-0 (Swastika Ghosh beat Ai Xin Tee 11-7, 11-2, 9-11, 11-9, Sreeja Akula beat Karen Lyne Anak Dick 9-11, 11-6, 11-4, 5-11, 11-3, Yashaswini Ghorpade beat Alice Lee Sian Chang 7-11, 11-3, 17-15, 11-5).
