Senior National Table Tennis Championships 2025: Manush Shah and Diya Chitale claim singles titles

Modified Jan 28, 2025 13:45 IST

Senior National Table Tennis Championships 2025: Manush Shah and Diya Chitale claim singles titles (Image via Manush Shah/IG)

The 2025 Senior National Table Tennis Championships came to a conclusion at the Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay Indoor Stadium in Surat on Sunday, January 26, with Manush Shah and Diya Chitale emerging as champions in the men’s and women’s singles events, respectively.

Manush Shah put on a dominant display to defeat Payas Jain in the men’s final, securing a 4-1 victory with scores of 10-12, 11-6, 11-6, 12-10, 11-8. Meanwhile, Diya Chitale overcame a stiff challenge from two-time national champion Sreeja Akula to clinch the women’s singles title. In an intense seven-game battle, Diya emerged victorious with a 4-3 scoreline (10-12, 8-11, 13-11, 12-10, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9).

Both champions represented the Reserve Bank of India and delivered top performances in high-pressure situations. Payas Jain started strong in the men’s final, claiming the opening game, but Manush Shah quickly turned the match around with four consecutive wins to secure the title.

Diya Chitale faced an even steeper challenge as she trailed Sreeja Akula by two games early on. However, Diya fought back to win three in a row before Sreeja leveled the scoreline 3-3 going into the final seventh game. With the title on the line, Diya kept her composure in the decisive seventh game to lift the trophy.

Adding to her triumph, Diya had already teamed up with Sreeja Akula on Saturday, January 25, to win the women’s doubles title. The duo defeated Suhana Saini and Prithoki Chakraborty 3-2 in a closely contested match. Diya’s singles victory over her doubles partner marked a memorable end to her campaign, as she secured a double title in the tournament.

Both Manush and Diya were rewarded for their exceptional performances, taking home prize money of ₹3.20 lakh each.