Indian Doubles Shine at US Smash 2026 as Manav-Manush and Diya-Yashaswini Storm into Quarterfinals

Indian table tennis enjoyed another landmark day on the international stage as both the men's doubles pair of Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah and the women's doubles combination of Diya Chitale and Yashaswini Ghorpade advanced to the quarterfinals of the United States Smash 2026.

The two victories continue India's growing success at the WTT Grand Smash level, highlighting the country's rapid progress in doubles events against some of the strongest pairs in world table tennis.

While Manav and Manush registered a statement victory over a formidable Japanese duo, Diya and Yashaswini displayed remarkable resilience to edge past an experienced Chinese Taipei pair in a thrilling five-game contest.

The biggest result of the day came in the men's doubles event, where Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah defeated Japan's Sora Matsushima and Shunsuke Togami 3-1 to book their place in the last eight. After dropping the opening game 8-11, the Indian pair responded brilliantly to win the next three games 11-8, 11-8, 11-7, completing one of their finest victories on the international circuit. The significance of the result extends beyond the scoreline.

Sora Matsushima is currently among the world's leading young singles players, while Shunsuke Togami is the reigning World Men's Doubles Champion, having won the title alongside Hiroto Shinozuka in 2025. Overcoming such an accomplished pair underlines the growing maturity and confidence of India's leading doubles combination.

The victory also marks another milestone for Manav and Manush, who have now reached their second consecutive Grand Smash quarterfinal, reinforcing their status as one of India's most consistent doubles partnerships on the WTT circuit.

The challenge, however, becomes even tougher from here. Manav and Manush will next face the Chinese pairing of Wen Ruibo and Yuan Licen, representing one of the strongest table tennis nations in the world. China has traditionally dominated international doubles competitions, making the upcoming encounter a valuable opportunity for the Indian pair to measure themselves against elite opposition.

A victory would not only secure a semifinal berth but also rank among India's biggest doubles achievements at the Grand Smash level.

India's women's doubles campaign also gathered momentum with an impressive victory from Diya Chitale and Yashaswini Ghorpade. The Indian duo overcame the experienced Chinese Taipei pairing of Cheng I-Ching and Yeh Yi-Tian in a closely contested five-game match. After narrowly losing the opening game 11-13, Diya and Yashaswini fought back to claim the second game 12-10, before dominating the third 11-4.

Chinese Taipei forced the contest into a decider by winning the fourth game 11-6, but the Indians held their nerve in the deciding game to seal an 11-7 victory and book their place in the quarterfinals. The result showcased the pair's composure under pressure and their ability to recover after setbacks during the match.

Standing between Diya and Yashaswini and a semifinal place will be one of the strongest women's doubles partnerships in world table tennis. The Indian pair will face second seeds Miwa Harimoto and Hina Hayata of Japan in the quarterfinals. Hayata is one of Japan's most accomplished players, while Harimoto has rapidly established herself among the brightest young talents in international table tennis. The quarterfinal promises to be a stern examination, but the confidence gained from their opening victory gives the Indian duo every reason to believe they can challenge the higher-ranked Japanese pair.

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Over the past two years, Indian table tennis has made significant progress in doubles competitions. While India has traditionally relied on singles performances, recent seasons have seen Indian doubles pairs become increasingly competitive against the world's leading nations. The success of partnerships such as Manav Thakkar-Manush Shah and Diya Chitale-Yashaswini Ghorpade reflects improved coordination, greater international exposure and consistent performances on the WTT circuit.

Reaching the quarterfinals of a Grand Smash event is no longer viewed as an isolated achievement but as part of a broader upward trend for Indian table tennis.

With both Indian doubles teams now through to the last eight, attention shifts to two high-quality quarterfinal encounters against China and Japan. While the level of opposition will increase considerably, both Indian pairs have already demonstrated that they possess the ability to compete with elite international combinations. For Manav and Manush, victory over reigning world champion Shunsuke Togami and top singles player Sora Matsushima is another significant milestone in their growing partnership.

For Diya and Yashaswini, overcoming an experienced Chinese Taipei pair in a pressure-filled five-game battle highlights their fighting spirit and ability to deliver on the big stage.

Regardless of the quarterfinal results, India's performance at the United States Smash 2026 has once again underlined the country's growing stature in world table tennis. As Indian players continue to challenge the traditional powerhouses of China, Japan and Chinese Taipei, performances like these provide further evidence that the gap at the highest level is steadily narrowing.