"We aim to have a team that we can thoroughly prepare" - India TT coach Massimo Costantini sheds light on his plans for 2028 LA Olympics

Indian table tennis head coach Massimo Costantini is eyeing a better performance for the nation at the 2028 Olympic Games, slated to be held in Los Angeles. He wants to focus on the paddlers' international performances and achieve a better winning mentality.

India has never won a medal in table tennis at the Summer Games. But this time out, they were better-equipped to secure a positive finish. Paddlers like Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula made their way to the knockouts, only to get outplayed by their respective opponents and return home empty-handed. However, it's a slow process and will take time for the nation to establish themselves in the Olympics, specially in table tennis.

In an interaction with Sportstar, Massimo Costantini said:

"The Olympic cycle is a slow process. We have time in the next two years to create a better and stronger internal system. We will be stressing a little bit more on their international performances. In the meantime, we can achieve a better winning mentality. And that mentality can only be achieved by winning more games."

"We have to start thinking that we can do it even at the business end of tournaments. It is the direct experience that makes the player confident. One shouldn’t think that ‘my medal is in my range’. One should only think about winning every contest," he added.

Costantini also laid out a plan of how things can be achieved in the future. He said in this regard:

"We now have two players in the top-25 (Sreeja Akula and Manika Batra). I hope it is consistent. If we can make the top-15 and top-10 in men’s and women’s events, we can start thinking a little bit bigger. We need time to achieve certain statuses to consolidate our values and individual positions."

The Italian also wants India to focus on team events in order to achieve better results. On this, he quoted:

"For LA, we aim to have a team that we can thoroughly prepare. In the past, our players have struggled to qualify for the Olympics through continental and world rankings. But once we secure a team spot in the Olympics, we automatically get two players in singles, which will transform our preparations, improve our setup, and elevate our expectations as well."

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India adapted technology prior to Paris Olympics

Former Indian national coach Deepak Malik had revealed to Sportskeeda prior to the Paris Games that India has now adapted to technology in table tennis. Starting from analysing the opponents thoroughly, to using the same table which would be deployed in Paris for the training, India looked a much better and equipped contingent for the recently concluded Olympic Games.

Regarding analysing opponents, Costantini mentioned:

"Every player has some sort of fixed pattern. It is important for coaches to identify these skills quickly. Ultimately, it is the player who controls the rally when they serve and receive. It is a flow, and there is not much time for players to think and do what the coach says. My job is to give them a little bit of warning as to what the opposition may do in certain match situations, as players tend to play in recurring patterns."

The Italian head coach has a two-year contract with the national team which can be extended for two more years and he plans to take India closer to the zenith of top-notch sporting action.