Having played a crucial role in India’s gold medal victories in the team competitions at the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games, star Indian paddler Harmeet Desai believes that India has the potential to surprise any team at the Paris Olympic Games. On Thursday, he emphasized that the team’s preparation was on track to perform at their best in the French capital.
The Indian table tennis contingent made history earlier this year by qualifying both the men’s and women’s teams for the Olympics for the first time. Preparatory camps held in Bengaluru from June 7-16 and in Saarbrucken, Germany earlier this month focused on finding the best team combinations for the Paris Olympics, scheduled from July 26 to August 11.
“On a given day, I think we really have a very good chance of beating any team. We have won against top teams in the world in the past and it is possible this time also if we give our best. In the Olympics, if all three of us can put on the best show, then anything is possible,” the 31-year-old Desai said in an interview with Ultimate Table Tennis.
Desai is part of the Indian men’s team along with Achanta Sharath Kamal, Manav Thakkar, and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran. He will also compete in the individual events.
Desai’s confidence is bolstered by the Indian men’s team’s victory over Japan in the quarterfinals to clinch the bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games.
Speaking about the rise of Indian table tennis on the global stage, Desai credited various central government schemes and the launch of Ultimate Table Tennis in 2017 for the sport’s development.
“UTT has helped us get more experience and exposure to play with international players and get guidance from foreign coaches. That was not the case before 2017. So, this kind of experience has helped the players get more self-belief and perform well in the international arena,” he said.
The Indian men’s team will face China in the opening round, while the women’s team will open their campaign against Romania. The individual events will be played from July 27 to August 4, with the team events scheduled from August 5 to 10.
After the Paris Olympics, India’s representatives at the Games and upcoming talent will compete against each other and some international stars in the Ultimate Table Tennis 2024, scheduled to take place in Chennai from August 22 to September 7.
