Table Tennis
WTT US Smash: Manav-Manush Shah reach quarterfinals; Diya-Yashaswini also advance
The result marks their second successive quarterfinal appearance at a WTT Grand Smash this year.
Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar entered the quarterfinals of 2026 WTT US Smash. (Photo Credits: WTT)
The top Indian men's doubles pair, Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah, advanced to the quarterfinals of the WTT United States Smash 2026 in Los Angeles, California, on Tuesday.
The fifth-seeded duo defeated the formidable Japanese pair of Sora Matsushima and Shunsuke Togami 3-1 (8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7) to book their place in the last eight.
It is their second consecutive WTT Grand Smash quarterfinal appearance this year, following their semifinal run at the Singapore Smash.
They will look to match that performance when they face the Chinese pair of Wen Ruibo and Yuan Licen in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Manush, however, could not replicate his success in the mixed doubles, as he and Diya Chitale suffered a round-of-16 defeat to the American pair of Sally Moyland and Jishan Liang.
Diya, alongside Yashaswini Ghorpade, fared better in the women's doubles, defeating the Chinese Taipei pair of Cheng I-Ching and Yeh Yi-Tian in the round of 16.
The Indian duo will now face the second-seeded Japanese pair of Hina Hayata and Miwa Harimoto in the quarterfinals, marking their maiden appearance in the last eight of a WTT Grand Smash women's doubles event.
In the singles competition, India's lone second-round representative, Manav, bowed out after a straight-games defeat to world No. 1 Wang Chuqin of China.