In Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, on Sunday, eighteen-year-old Oh Jun-sung triumphed over French player Thibault Poret in a nail-biting seven-game match to clinch his inaugural World Table Tennis (WTT) Star Contender title at the WTT Star Contender event held in Chennai 2025. Meanwhile, in the Women’s Singles category, 16-year-old Miwa Harimoto—who has previously won an Olympic medal during Paris 2024—emerged victorious against fellow Japanese competitor Honoka Hashimoto with a score of 4-2, securing her first championship at this tier.

Earlier in the day, Manav Thakkar’s historic run concluded in the second-to-last round, making him the only Indian male athlete to advance to a WTT Star Contender semifinal. In other news, South Korea’s Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin claimed the Mixed Doubles championship with a dominant performance, according to a statement released by WTT.

The WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025, sponsored by IndianOil, was organized by Stupa Sports Analytics along with Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), under the governance of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). This competition featured a prize fund of $275,000 and awarded 600 ranking points to the champions.

In front of a full crowd at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Harimoto and Hashimoto put on an impressive display of extended rallies, pushing each other’s limits in terms of stamina and accuracy. During the initial two sets, they matched each other point for point. However, starting from game three, the match entered a different phase due to the implementation of the Expedite Rule. This rule compelled them to play quicker and more definitively within a limit of thirteen shots per rally. Under this constraint, Harimoto excelled, demonstrating remarkable speed and strategic prowess. Even as her competitor fought back fiercely, the young player remained composed throughout, securing victory in the Women’s Singles Finals.

Subsequently, the Men’s Singles Finals featuring Oh and Poret turned into an exhilarating contest where control seesawed back and forth. Each athlete exhibited remarkable talent and tenacity, maintaining audience anticipation throughout. Trailing 2-3, Oh staged a fantastic rally to clinch the final two matches, securing a nail-biting triumph.

Manav’s notable campaign concluded in Session 1 following a closely contested 3-1 defeat against Thibault Poret in the Men’s Singles semifinal, which awarded him 210 WTT ranking points and $4,000 in prize money—a considerable accomplishment for Indian table tennis. Soon thereafter, South Korean Olympians Lim and Shin demonstrated their skill by securing the Mixed Doubles championship without dropping a game, comfortably defeating Japan’s Maharu Yoshimura and Satsuki Odo with precise scores of 11-8, 11-5, and 11-4.

Spanning six days, the WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 attracted 158 players from around the world who showcased intense competitions and created memorable highlights throughout the tournament.

Complete Outcomes (Principal Tournament, Day 4)

Men’s Singles (Semifinals)

Oh Jun-sung (KOR) [12] vs. Flavien Coton (FRA) 3-0: 11-4, 12-10, 11-7

Thibault Poret from France competes against Manav Thakkar from India with a score of 3-1: 12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-7

(Final, Best of 7)

Oh Jun-sung from South Korea [12] faces off against Thibault Poret from France with scores of 4-3: 9-11, 11-7, 11-3, 9-11, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7

Women’s Singles (Semifinals)

Miwa Harimoto (JPN) [2] vs. Shin Yu-bin (KOR) [4], score 3-0: 11-8, 11-4, 12-10

Honoka Hashimoto (JPN) [13] vs. Kim Nayeong (KOR) 3-0: 11-6, 11-2, 11-2

(Final, Best of 7)

Miwa Harimoto (JPN) [2] versus Honoka Hashimoto (JPN) [13]. The match score was 4-2 with game scores of 9-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-9, 10-12, and 11-7.

Mixed Doubles (Final)

Lim Jong-hoon (KOR)/Shin Yu-bin (KOR) [2] vs. Maharu Yoshimura (JPN)/Satsuki Odo (JPN) [Q]. The match ended with a score of 3-0: 11-8, 11-5, 11-4. (ANI)