Manav aiming high post first senior national title

CHENNAI: It has been a year to remember for young Manav Thakkar. He recently became the first Indian to be ranked No 1 in the ITTF World Junior Circuit standings and now has the done the double as he won his first men’s singles title in the 11Sports National Ranking Championships (North) as well as clinching the junior boys crown.

The Surat-born paddler came close last time around in the South Zone event, where he took a set off India’s top-ranked paddler A Sharath Kamal in the semifinals. This time, in the absence of big guns, Manav was desperate to make his mark. And he did just that as he overcame seasoned professionals like Arjun Ghosh and Raj Mondal to annex the senior title. “This was a great chance for me to win my first senior championship. I gave it my best shot and playing in the same venue for the ITTF 2018 YOG Continental Qualifications for Asia also came in handy as I was accustomed to the conditions,” he told Express.

The 17-year-old has won quite a few tournaments this year — both on the national and international stage. He credits current India coach Massimo Costantini as a big influence. “Since Max (Massimo) took over, all juniors were taken on quite a few senior exposure trips and made to play quite a lot with established players. It helps me understand what is needed in my game as I’m going to play only senior events from next year.”

Despite being on top of his game, Manav knows that hard work is required to take the next step up. Staying level-headed is something that is of paramount importance, especially when winning becomes a habit and a bit of complacency can creep in. “All seniors keep telling me not to lose focus. My father is also a big help in this regard. The Ultimate Table Tennis was a real eye-opener for me. I did not play a single match but interacting with foreign pros and watching and learning from them was a great experience for me,” the 2017 Indian Open junior gold medallist revealed.

His next assignments include playing in the Spanish Open and the World Junior Championship (WJC) in Italy later this year. Also, despite not being able to make the cut for the Youth Olympics through the Asian qualification event, there is still a chance for him to play there. “Winning the WJC and making it to the Youth Games is high up on my agenda. I need to work on my fitness and build up more power to be more successful as I enter a crucial period in my career,” the World No 297 signed off.

ayantan@newindianexpress.com