New Delhi, October 29 (Udaipur Kiran). Indian table tennis players Manush Shah and Diya Chitale have made history by becoming the first-ever Indian mixed doubles pair to qualify for the prestigious WTT Finals.
According to the latest WTT Series Finals Race Rankings released on Tuesday, the Shah–Chitale duo secured their place as the fifth mixed doubles team to qualify for the year-end tournament, scheduled to be held in Hong Kong (China) from December 10 to 14.
After the WTT Star Contender Muscat event (November 17–22), the top seven pairs in the final race rankings will earn direct qualification, while the eighth spot will be reserved for the host nation’s wildcard entry.
In the latest ITTF world rankings, the Indian pair stands at the eighth position. The duo has been in impressive form this season, registering several remarkable performances. In April, they clinched their biggest international title by winning the WTT Contender Tunis, defeating Japan’s Miwa Harimoto and Sora Matsushima in the final.
They continued their strong run with notable victories at the WTT Contender events in the US Smash (July), where they beat Japan’s Satsuki Odo and Korea’s Oh Junsung, and in Buenos Aires, where they defeated Satsuki Odo and Japan’s Hiroto Shinozuka.
The WTT Finals, which began in 2021, will feature 16 players each in men’s and women’s singles categories this year. The total prize pool for the event is USD 1.3 million. For the first time, the mixed doubles category has been introduced, replacing the men’s and women’s doubles events.
In the mixed doubles format, two groups of four pairs each will compete in the group stage, followed by the semifinals. All matches will be played in a best-of-five format.
Expressing her joy on this historic achievement, Diya Chitale said, “Playing in the Finals is an incredible honour, but becoming the first Indian pair to qualify makes it even more special. This moment is not just ours — it represents the growth of Indian table tennis. We’ll give our best to make it a memorable one.”
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.