Paris Olympics: We have the ability to beat any team, says table tennis star Harmeet Desai

NEW DELHI: Having played an important role in India clinching gold medals in the team competition in the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games, star Indian paddler Harmeet Desai believes India has the ability to upset any team at the Olympic Games in Paris. On Thursday, he insisted that the team’s preparation was well on track to perform at their optimum best in the French capital.

The Indian TT contingent made history earlier this year when both the men’s and women’s teams qualified for the Olympics for the first time and the preparatory camps, in Bengaluru from June 7-16 and in Saarbrucken, Germany earlier this month, were focused on working out the perfect combinations for the team events at the Paris Olympics, scheduled from July 26 to August 11.

“On a given day, I think we really have a very good chance of beating any team. We have won against top teams in the world in the past and it is possible this time also if we give our best. In the Olympics, if all three of us can put on the best show then anything is possible,” the 31-year-old Desai said during an interview with Ultimate Table Tennis.

Desai is part of the Indian men’s team along with Achanta Sharath Kamal, Manav Thakkar and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran. He will also be competing in the individual events.

Desai’s confidence stems from the fact that the Indian men’s team had defeated the mighty Japan in the quarterfinals to clinch the bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games.

Speaking about the rise of Indian table tennis on the world stage, Desai credited the central government’s various schemes and the launch of Ultimate Table Tennis in 2017 for the development of the sport.

“UTT has helped us get more experience and exposure to play with international players and get guidance from foreign coaches. That was not the case before 2017. So, this kind of experience has helped the players get more self-belief and perform well in the international arena,” he said.

The Indian men’s team will face China in the opening round while the women’s team will open their campaign against Romania. The individual events will be played from July 27 to August 4 whereas the team events are scheduled from August 5 to 10.

After the Paris Olympics, India’s representatives at the Games and upcoming talent from the country will rub shoulders against each other and some international stars in the Ultimate Table Tennis 2024, scheduled to take place in Chennai from August 22 to September 7.