India blanked Nigeria 3-0 to win the men’s table tennis gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast on Monday

“I would be surprised if we don’t win a medal in the team championship,” Achanta Sharath Kamal had said as the Indian table tennis team was readying to leave Mumbai. But even he would not have imagined a gold rush of this proportion. Not only did the men’s team win but India also completed a grand double by winning the women’s team title too.

Sharath’s confidence stemmed from the fact that India currently have six players in the top 100 in men’s singles and even though Soumyajit Ghosh was dropped because of an FIR registered against him, the Indian team had enough depth to reclaim the men’s team title they had first won at home in 2006.

On Monday, India overcame Singapore 3-2 in the semi-finals in morning before outplaying Nigeria, bronze medallist in 2014, to comfortably register a memorable triumph. Sharath was the star of the triumph over Singapore too as he won both his matches, including the match-deciding fifth tie against Xue Jie Pang. Sharath, who led the team superbly in 2006, set the ball rolling by scoring a come-from-behind win against Nigeria’s Bode Abiodun. Sharath lost the first game 4-11 but recovered well in time to next three 11-5, 11-4, 11-9 to give India 1-0 lead.

Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, the world No 49, was initially surprised by Nigeria’s Segun Toriola but he won 10-12, 11-3, 11-3, 11-4.

Nigeria were hampered by the absence of doubles specialist Quadri Aruna and that showed in their results as they went down tamely.

Sathiyan then partnered Harmeet Desai in the doubles to seal a memorable gold medal for India. Harmeet and Sathiyan won 11-8, 11-5-11-5 against Olajide Omotayo and Bode Aboidun to seal the victory.

It is a measure of India’s resurgence in Commonwealth table tennis that they defeated both Singapore and Nigeria by 3-0.

India’s Italian coach Massimo Costantini was expecting a tough day for his boys. Speaking after the women’s team had won the gold medal last night, the Italian had termed Singapore as “super favorite” in the semi-finals. But his boys perfectly executed their tactics to perfection.

“I am very happy with today’s game. It’s not always easy to prove you’re the best. The players got better and better as the games went on,” Sharath said after the match.

China’s Fan Takes World Number One Spot for the First Time

21-year-old FAN Zhendong (CHN) has overtook table tennis legend Timo BOLL (GER) to become the new world number one for the first time in his career on the new April 2018 ITTF World Ranking released today.
 
The 2017 World Championships silver medalist FAN, who took the world number two spot since November 2015, won the prestigious title at the Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Platinum Qatar Open earlier in March to earn him the world ranking points to top the chart this month.
 
“It is an amazing feeling to become the word number one, it has always been a big dream of mine. I hope I can keep this position for a very long time,” stated FAN after receiving the news that he will take over the top spot on the new World Ranking.
 
BOLL, who made history last month to become the oldest world number one at 36-years-old, 22 months and 21 days old on 1 March after rolling back the years to reclaim the top spot, settles at number two, one place ahead of compatriot Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (GER).
 
FAN’s teammate XU Xin and LIN Gaoyuan takes the fourth and fifth place respectively, while reigning World & Olympic Champion MA Long, whose ranking fell due to inactivity in 2017, makes his way back up the chart to number six this month after taking Gold at the Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open in Bremen last week.
 
Brazil's Hugo CALDERANO's world ranking rose to a career new high at number 12, after a successful outing in Qatar, upsetting several top stars to make the finals. 

In the Women’s ranking, China’s CHEN Meng reclaims the world number one position from colleague ZHU Yuling after reaching semifinals at the Qatar Open, while ZHU was knocked out of the tournament early in the Round of 32 by eventual Champion LIU Shiwen (CHN), whose ranking rose from 20 in March to 10 this month.
 
Japan’s Kasumi ISHIKAWA & Singapore’s FENG Tianwei remains at three and four on the April’s World Ranking list, while Qatar Open finalist WANG Manyu climbed two places up to settle fifth and round up the top 5 on the Women’s World Ranking.
 
This comes under the effect of the newly developed ITTF World Ranking which will present a more accurate measure and realistic representation of the playing level of athlete’s current performance, as well as to ensure that the World Ranking better supports ITTF events.

The world's top stars will now make full preparations for the biggest table tennis event of the year, the Liebherr 2018 World Team Table Tennis Championships to be held in Halmstad, Sweden from 29 April to 6 May 2018.

A nine-member table tennis squad, led by triple-gold medallist A. Sharath Kamal, coaches Massimo Costantini and Soumyadeep Roy along with two support staff (a masseur and physio) left this morning for Gold Coast to participate in the Commonweal Games

A nine-member table tennis squad, led by triple-gold medallist A. Sharath Kamal, coaches Massimo Costantini and Soumyadeep Roy along with two support staff (a masseur and physio) left this morning for Gold Coast to participate in the Commonweal Games, beginning on April 4.

 The team members, after arriving from their respective hometowns, headed straight to Rio Restaurant in Rajouri Garden where the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) hosted a send-off dinner in honor of the players, coaches and the support staff.

 After quiet and sumptuous dinner, the team members have presented bouquets and Secretary General M.P. Singh wished them well for the Games.

 Speaking on behalf of the players, Sharath expressed confidence and said that all players were positive about India’s performance. ‘’We realize the importance of the Games and equally the expectations of millions of India. Fortunately, we have the best possible team in both sections and I am sure we will not disappoint you as we expect to have a good harvest of medals at Gold Coast,” said Sharath.

 Coach Massimo was equally cheerful and said India had the best chance this time. “I am expecting the teams to win at least four medals. All players are in good shape which is an indication of the level of preparation. I am positive and so are the team members,” said the coach.

 Team members:

 

Men: A. Sharath Kamal, G. Sathiyan, A. Amalraj, Harmeet Desai

 

Women: Manika Batra, Mouma Das, Madhurika Patkar, Pooja Sahasrabuddhe, Suthirta Mukherjee.

 

Coaches: Massimo Costantini and Soumyadeep Roy.

 

Support staff: Amarjit Singh (masseur) and Kishore Dey (physio).

 The CWG-bound paddlers were presented with bouquets during their send-off which followed a dinner hosted by TTFI in honour of the players on Thursday.

Liebherr 2018 World Team Championships:Indian Men in Group D,Women's in Group A.