India Open World Team Table Tennis Championships With Dominant Win Over Tunisia

India began their campaign at the 2026 World Team Table Tennis Championships in impressive fashion, securing a commanding 3-0 victory over Tunisia in the men’s Group 7 encounter at the Copper Box Arena in London on the opening day of competition.

Led by strong performances from Manush Shah, Manav Thakkar, and Harmeet Desai, the Indian men’s team barely gave Tunisia any opportunity to settle into the contest, showcasing both attacking sharpness and tactical discipline in a thoroughly dominant display. The Indian women’s team also started with a win in Group 6, although under unusual circumstances, as Uganda failed to report for their scheduled tie, resulting in a 3-0 walkover victory for India.

India’s opening singles match featured one of the country’s fastest-rising stars, Manush Shah, who faced Tunisia’s Wassim Essid. Shah made an aggressive start, dictating rallies early with his quick forehand attacks and strong placement. He comfortably took the opening game 11-5, immediately putting Tunisia under pressure. Essid briefly responded in the second game, managing to disrupt Shah’s rhythm and edging the game 11-9 to level the contest. However, the Indian paddler quickly regained control and raised the intensity significantly.

From that point onward, Shah dominated proceedings.

His sharp counter-attacking play, quick movement around the table, and consistent pressure from both wings proved too much for the Tunisian player. Shah took the final two games 11-3 and 11-5 to hand India a 1-0 lead in the tie. The performance reflected the growing maturity in Shah’s game. Despite dropping a game, he never looked unsettled and adjusted tactically with confidence.

Manav Thakkar Produces Clinical Display

If Shah gave India momentum, Manav Thakkar completely overwhelmed the opposition in the second match. Facing Yousef Aidli, Thakkar delivered one of the most one-sided performances of the opening day, cruising to a stunning 11-3, 11-3, 11-3 victory. The Indian paddler dominated every aspect of the match. His serve variation repeatedly troubled Aidli, while his aggressive returns prevented the Tunisian from building any rhythm in rallies. Thakkar’s movement and consistency were equally impressive, allowing him to control points from the very beginning.

The match never truly became competitive. Aidli struggled to handle the pace and accuracy of Thakkar’s attacks, and the Indian star closed out the contest in straight games with ruthless efficiency.

The victory doubled India’s lead to 2-0 and effectively placed the tie beyond Tunisia’s reach.

Experienced paddler Harmeet Desai then stepped onto the table with the opportunity to complete the sweep for India against Aboubaker Bourass. Desai produced a calm and composed performance, blending controlled attacking play with tactical precision to secure an 11-5, 11-4, 11-8 win. Unlike the explosive pace of Thakkar’s match, Desai relied more on patience and consistency, carefully constructing points and forcing errors from Bourass.

The Tunisian player showed greater resistance in the third game, but Desai remained composed during key moments and closed out the match efficiently to seal India’s 3-0 victory.

https://www.indiasportshub.com/articles/big-money-moves-and-rising-indian-stars-headline-utt-season-7-auction

The comprehensive win gives India an ideal start in Group 7, where every match could prove significant in the race for qualification into the knockout rounds. India entered the tournament with expectations of progressing deep into the competition, especially with a balanced squad featuring experienced campaigners alongside younger rising stars.

Women’s Team Got Walkover

In the women’s competition, India were awarded a 3-0 walkover win after Uganda failed to report for their Group 6 fixture. While the players missed the opportunity for competitive match practice, the result still gives India an important early advantage in the standings.

The women’s team, led by Manika Batra and featuring several young talents, will now turn their attention toward tougher upcoming encounters where actual table time and momentum will become increasingly important. While Tunisia offered limited resistance, India will face significantly stronger opposition as the tournament progresses.

For the men’s team, consistency against higher-ranked nations will be crucial, especially in pressure ties where momentum can shift rapidly. The early form shown by Shah, Thakkar, and Desai, however, provides strong encouragement. The World Team Championships remain one of the biggest tests in international table tennis, demanding squad depth, mental resilience, and tactical adaptability across multiple matches.

India’s opening performance suggested they are arriving in London with confidence and clear ambitions.

The campaign has started exactly as India would have hoped dominant, controlled, and convincing.