Paris Olympics 2024: While Indians paddlers shine brighter than ever, improved mindset and belief needed going forward

The Paris Olympics 2024 will be remembered as a significant chapter in the history of Indian table tennis, a sport that has seen considerable growth in the country over the last decade.

Paris Olympics: News, schedule, medals tally and more

The journey of both the men’s and women’s teams were marked by moments of brilliance, hard-fought battles, and a few heartbreaking exits. As the dust settles on the Paris campaign, it is vital to reflect on the key takeaways, acknowledging the successes and the challenges that revealed areas for growth.

The Hits: Moments of Triumph and Growth

One of the most encouraging achievements of this campaign was the historic qualification of both the Indian Men’s and Women’s teams for the Olympic team event, marking the first time in history that India secured spots in this highly competitive category.

With only the top 16 teams worldwide earning qualification, this accomplishment solidifies India’s status as a leading table tennis nation. Both teams earned their places through their impressive world rankings, underscoring India’s growing prominence on the global stage.

The men’s team, despite their Round of 16 exit against eventual champions China, showed strong resilience. Achanta Sharath Kamal, India’s top player, challenged Olympic singles champion Fan Zhendong, taking him to four games in a high-quality match.

Read | Achanta Sharath Kamal: Indian titan’s last rally at the Olympics

Manav Thakkar, despite a 0-3 loss to world No. 1 Wang Chuqin, had a promising lead of 7-3 in the third game and engaged in some breathtaking rallies, matching Wang stroke for stroke. These performances underscore that Indian players are competitive at the highest level, and were slightly unlucky to have drawn China in the Round of 16.

Achanta Sharath Kamal bowed out of the Olympics after a fight in the men’s singles match of the team event at the Paris Olympics. Reuters

The women’s team outperformed their male counterparts, with Sreeja Akula and Manika Batra making history as the first Indian paddlers to reach the Round of 16 in the Olympic singles event. In a pre-Games interview, Sreeja declared the contingent’s goal as achieving the ‘Maximum number of upsets.’

They certainly delivered on this promise with their landmark achievements. Sreeja, the 16th seed, justified her ranking by defeating opponents from Sweden and Singapore, both traditional table tennis powerhouses. Batra delivered an outstanding performance against higher-ranked home favourite Prithika Pavade, whilst also combating a hostile crowd. In the team event, Sreeja, Manika, and Archana Kamath made further history by upsetting 4th-seeded Romania to reach the quarter-finals.

The standout aspect of Manika and Sreeja’s performances was their well-rounded gameplay. Both players use the ‘long pimple’ rubber on their backhand, a style often criticized for over-reliance on its disruptive effect. Critics typically predict struggles against top-tier opponents for such players, but Manika and Sreeja proved them wrong. They defeated highly skilled opponents who are adept at countering this style, relying instead on the quality of their shots from both flanks to secure their victories.

Read | Decoding Indian women’s table tennis team’s historic victory to reach Olympic quarters

In her Olympic debut, Archana Kamath was a revelation, displaying exceptional attacking prowess. As the only pure attacking player in the squad, she was highly effective in the doubles match of the team event against Romania, and put up a strong fight against world No. 10 Bernadette Szocs.

In the quarter-finals against Germany, she excelled, securing India’s only point with a win over Xiaona Shan, a player ranked 83 places above her. Archana’s emphasis on fitness and strength was evident, and she has also added new shots to her repertoire, particularly a sleek backhand topspin.

The Misses: Lessons Learned and Areas for Improvement

While there were several moments to celebrate, the Paris Olympics also exposed certain weaknesses in the Indian teams that need to be addressed.

Despite the significant achievement of qualifying for the Olympics, the Men’s team struggled against the high intensity of China. They were never in contention, failing to make inroads despite Sharath Kamal’s close contest. The disparity in levels was clear, highlighting the need for focused improvement, especially on power and consistency of shots.

The doubles pair of Manav Thakkar and Harmeet Desai particularly struggled, lacking rhythm and coordination, with their tactics often ineffective. Manav, who usually partners with Manush Shah, faced challenges adapting to a new partner.

The women’s team will regret missing a key opportunity in the quarter-finals against Germany, a team that was missing their two best players (Han Ying and Nina Mittleham) to injury. After a strong performance in the Round of 16 against a superior Romanian side, India entered the match as favourites.

Read | Heartbreak in Paris: India women’s table tennis team falls to Germany in Olympic quarters

But both Manika and Sreeja were bested by 18-year-old Annett Kaufman, ranked outside the top 100 in world rankings. Kaufman’s relentless attacking play from both flanks effectively neutralized the ‘long pimple’ rubber used by both players. Although Manika and Sreeja have previously faced opponents skilled in countering their rubber, they seemed unprepared for Kaufman, an unfamiliar and unexpected challenge. They appeared unsettled not by the style of play itself, but by the player executing it.

The singles players also struggled to capitalise on key opportunities. Sharath Kamal, in an unexpected loss to world No. 126 Deni Kozul of Slovenia, had four game points to level the match at 3-3 but lost six consecutive points, resulting in a 2-4 defeat. Desai started strong but failed to convert any leads, ultimately losing in straight sets to eventual bronze medallist Felix Lebrun of France.

Batra also had chances against world No. 12 Miu Hirano of Japan but could not convert her leads or adjust her tactics in a 1-4 loss. Sreeja had the best chance against world No. 1 and eventual silver medallist Sun Yingsha of China, with four game points in the first game and five in the second, but failed to convert any, losing in straight sets despite her opportunities to go 2-0 up.

The failure to capitalise on key opportunities reveals two key issues. Firstly, there is a lack of consistency; while Indian players possess the skill and range of strokes, they struggle to maintain peak performance over extended periods. The ability to sustain brilliance throughout an entire tournament and season is crucial.

Secondly, the Indian contingent appears to relish the role of the underdog, thriving in scenarios where they are not expected to win. While this enables them to punch above their weight and create huge upsets, they seem to falter under the pressure of being favourites in high-stakes situations. This indicates a need to improve their mindset and belief.

Looking Ahead: Building on the Foundation

The Paris Olympics 2024 was a mixed bag for Indian table tennis, offering both moments of pride and lessons for the future. The campaign highlighted the potential within the Indian teams, as well as the areas that require focused attention.

Identifying a core group of players will be crucial, particularly in the Men’s team, as Achanta Sharath Kamal is likely finishing his Olympic career. Once this core group has been established, they must receive optimal exposure through top national coaches, international tournaments, and a well-rounded mental and physical training regimen. Additionally, a dedicated doubles pair needs to be identified and trained to enhance performance in team events for both the men’s and women’s contingents.

A dedicated mental trainer for the national team could significantly enhance mindset and consistency.

This specialist would aid athletes in handling high-pressure situations and better prepare them for future Olympic competitions.

Lastly, it is up to the players and their personal coaches to identify and address their own weaknesses. As India’s prominence in table tennis grows, so will the scrutiny of their performances. Opponents will analyse and adapt, so Indian players must remain vigilant, continually assess their game, and maintain a mindset focused on constant improvement.

With the right support and preparation, Indian table tennis can continue its upward trajectory, transforming these learnings into success in future international tournaments. The journey is far from over, and as the players return home, they carry with them the experience and resolve to come back stronger, ready to take on the world with renewed vigour.

The author, a National Level table tennis player, has represented the state of Maharashtra across all age groups and at the senior level. He was the Under 12 Indian national champion and participated in international tournaments at the age-group level. Additionally, he is a silver medallist at the All-India University championships, representing the University of Mumbai. He has completed a Masters in Sport Management from Loughborough University, and is currently working with the coach education team for British Rowing, the National Governing Body for rowing in England)