Sharath Achanta leads Indian charge for $80,000 at 2024 WTT Contender Lagos
2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games champion Sharath Achanta will lead a strong Indian contingent to the 2024 WTT Contender Lagos taking place at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium from Wednesday, 19 June to Sunday, 23 Jun 2024.
The 41-year-old is the first Indian table tennis player ever to become a 10-time Indian national champion, breaking the record of eight-time national champion Kamlesh Mehta.
Considered one of the most flamboyant Indian athletes, Achanta is eagerly looking forward to the tournament as part of his preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The highest-ranked Indian male player in the world, rated 40th, was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, in 2019. In 2022, he was awarded the Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sporting honour. He will be joined on the Lagos trip by 2023 WTT Contender Lagos semifinalist Harmeet Desai, as well as Manav Thakkar and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran in the men’s singles.
The women’s squad will be spearheaded by Manika Batra, the top female table tennis player in India, ranked 24th in the world. Batra will also have her compatriot, Sreeja Akula, as an integral member of the Indian team that qualified for the Olympic Games at the 2024 World Team Championships in Busan, South Korea.
Akula, who is a familiar face in Lagos, will be accompanied by compatriots Yashaswini Ghorpade, Archana Kamath, and Sutirtha Mukherjee, all heading to the commercial nerve centre for a podium finish.
It is all about title defence for South Korean Shin Yubin, who topped the podium in 2023. Yubin spearheads the lineup in this year’s edition.
Lagos was one of two WTT Series wins for the World No. 7 in 2023, and with her 2024 account currently empty, a repeat of history in Nigeria is what the Korean is yearning for.
However, India’s Batra could pose the biggest threat to Yubin’s title defence in Lagos. Like Batra, Akula is in red-hot form, having already claimed two WTT Feeder Series events this year.
The chance to make a rapid ascent and claim a WTT Series title will not be squandered by the World No. 41 as she looks to continue her rise in the global rankings.
Lagos offers a rich cultural scene, with opportunities to explore the National Museum, visit the iconic Eko Atlantic City, and enjoy the lively nightlife of Victoria Island. For outdoor enthusiasts, the nearby beaches of Tarkwa Bay and Lekki Conservation Centre provide a relaxing escape from the city’s bustle. Indulge in the local cuisine, a flavourful fusion of African and international influences, and soak up the rhythm and energy of the Lagos community.
WTT Contender Lagos 2024 offers a total prize pool of $80,000 as well as 400 ITTF Table Tennis World Ranking Points for the champions.
