Diya Chitale, Manush Shah become 1st Indians to qualify for WTT Finals

New Delhi: Diya Chitale and Manush Shah, India's table tennis stars, have made history as the first Indian couple to qualify for the coveted WTT Finals, the season-ending showcase featuring the sport's best.

Diya, the reigning National Champion and highest-valued Indian paddler at Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 6, and Manush, the reigning Men’s National Champion and one of India’s most consistent international performers, have earned their spot at the WTT Finals Hong Kong 2025, to be held from December 10 to 14.

The WTT Finals mark the grand culmination of the global WTT Series, featuring only the top-ranked players - the top 16 in Men’s and Women’s Singles, and the top eight Mixed Doubles pairs - competing for a total prize purse of USD 1.3 million. It stands as one of the sport’s most exclusive and high-stakes events.

Diya and Manush’s qualification is particularly momentous, as they become not only the first Indian duo in Mixed Doubles but the first Indians ever to feature in any category at the WTT Finals. Their consistent performances through the year - including a historic mixed doubles silver medal at the WTT Star Contender Brazil 2025 - have earned them this milestone achievement, IANS reported.

“It’s a huge honour to compete in a Finals event, and an even bigger one to be the first Indians to do so. This moment isn’t just ours - it’s a sign of how much Indian table tennis has grown, and how bright its future looks. I’m proud to play even a small part in this story, and we’ll give everything to make it a memorable one,” said Diya Chitale on qualifying for the WTT Finals 2025.

The duo’s road to Hong Kong was paved with a string of standout performances across the season. Their title-winning run at WTT Contender Tunis (April 2025) - where they defeated Japan’s Miwa Harimoto and Sora Matsushima in the final - remains their biggest triumph. They followed it up with strong showings at the US Smash (July 2025), where they beat Japan’s Satsuki Odo and Korea’s Oh Junsung, and at the WTT Contender Buenos Aires (July 2025), where they overcame Satsuki Odo and Hiroto Shinozuka of Japan.

The Mixed Doubles event at the WTT Finals features a group stage (two groups of four pairs) followed by the semifinals, with matches played in a best-of-five format. Competing against the world’s top-ranked pairs from powerhouses such as China, South Korea, and Japan, Diya and Manush will carry India’s hopes on the global stage.