Manush Shah Upsets World No. 25 Kanak Jha to Reach WTT Star Contender Ljubljana Round of 16

Indian paddler Manush Shah produced one of the biggest upsets of the WTT Star Contender Ljubljana 2026, defeating World No. 25 Kanak Jha of the United States to storm into the Round of 16 of the men’s singles competition. 

The 3-1 victory added another impressive chapter to Manush’s growing reputation on the international circuit and capped a memorable day in which he also reached the mixed doubles semi-finals alongside Diya Chitale.

Ranked World No. 40, Manush showcased composure, tactical awareness and attacking precision to overcome the higher-ranked Kanak, who is a Pan American Games silver medallist and a bronze medallist at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.

The contest began with an intense opening game that saw both players trade points until the closing stages. Manush held his nerve in the crucial moments to edge the game 13-11, immediately putting pressure on his opponent. Kanak responded strongly in the second game, using his aggressive forehand play to level the match with an emphatic 11-4 win. However, the Indian quickly regrouped and regained control.

The third game saw Manush dictate the rallies with greater consistency, forcing errors from the American to claim it 11-6. Carrying that momentum into the fourth, he maintained his composure and closed out the contest 11-8, completing a deserved 3-1 victory.

The result stands as one of the finest wins of Manush’s career, given Kanak’s pedigree and world ranking. Defeating a top-25 player at a major World Table Tennis event further underlines the Indian’s progress on the international stage.

The victory sends Manush into the Round of 16, where an even sterner challenge awaits. He is set to face World No. 8 Hugo Calderano of Brazil, one of the leading players on the global circuit and a consistent contender at major international tournaments. Calderano’s attacking style and experience make him one of the favourites, but Manush’s recent performances suggest he will approach the contest with confidence.

A win over the Brazilian would represent one of the biggest achievements by an Indian men’s singles player in recent years.

Manush’s day did not end with his singles triumph. Teaming up with Diya Chitale in the mixed doubles event, the third-seeded Indian pair produced a dramatic comeback to secure a place in the semi-finals. Facing Varady and Kwan in the quarter-finals, Manush and Diya battled through a five-game encounter before emerging victorious 3-2. Their resilience under pressure and ability to recover from difficult situations proved decisive as they booked a spot in the last four.

The result highlights the growing chemistry between the pair and keeps alive India’s hopes of a podium finish in the mixed doubles competition.

While Manush enjoyed an outstanding day, it proved to be a disappointing outing for some of India’s other leading singles players. Earlier in the tournament, Sreeja Akula and Manika Batra exited their respective singles events, ending India’s challenge in the women’s singles draw. Their defeats shifted attention to Manush, who responded with arguably the best performance by an Indian player in Ljubljana so far.

In the men’s doubles competition, the partnership of Manav Vikas Thakkar and Manush Shah saw its impressive run come to an end against reigning world champions Shunsuke Togami and Hiroto Shinozuka of Japan.

Despite the loss, reaching the advanced stages against elite opposition provided valuable experience and further demonstrated India’s improving competitiveness in doubles events.

Manush’s victory over Kanak Jha reflects the increasing depth of Indian table tennis, with multiple players now capable of defeating higher-ranked opponents on the international stage. Over the past few seasons, Indian paddlers have consistently produced notable results in WTT events, challenging players from traditional powerhouses and climbing the world rankings through strong performances.

https://www.indiasportshub.com/articles/sreeja-akula-returns-to-top-form-with-dominant-win-at-wtt-star-contender-ljubljana-manush-shah-and-manika-batra-shine

For Manush personally, the win serves as a significant confidence boost ahead of future tournaments and strengthens his credentials as one of India’s leading men’s singles players.

The combination of a Round of 16 berth in singles and a semi-final appearance in mixed doubles makes Ljubljana one of Manush Shah’s most successful tournaments on the WTT circuit. His ability to balance multiple events while maintaining a high level of performance speaks to his fitness, focus and growing maturity. Against Kanak Jha, he displayed excellent tactical discipline, recovering quickly after dropping the second game and refusing to allow momentum to swing away from him.

Now, all eyes will be on his highly anticipated clash against Hugo Calderano. While the Brazilian enters as the favourite, Manush has already shown in Ljubljana that rankings alone do not determine outcomes.

With confidence soaring after upsetting a top-25 opponent and progressing deep in mixed doubles alongside Diya Chitale, the Indian star heads into the next stage of the tournament carrying both momentum and belief that he can produce another memorable performance on one of table tennis’ biggest stages.