New Delhi, October 28: Indiaโ€™s table tennis stars Diya Chitale and Manush Shah have etched their names in history books, becoming the first-ever Indian pair to qualify for the prestigious WTT Finals - the season-ending showcase that features the sportโ€™s very best. Diya, the reigning National Champion and highest-valued Indian paddler at Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 6, and Manush, the reigning Menโ€™s National Champion and one of Indiaโ€™s most consistent international performers, have earned their spot at the WTT Finals Hong Kong 2025, to be held from December 10 to 14.ย Divyanshi Bhowmick Creates History, Wins U15 Asian Cadet Table Tennis Championship; Indian Youngster Defeats China's Zhu Qihui in Final to Clinch Title.

The WTT Finals mark the grand culmination of the global WTT Series, featuring only the top-ranked players - the top 16 in Menโ€™s and Womenโ€™s Singles, and the top eight Mixed Doubles pairs - competing for a total prize purse of USD 1.3 million. It stands as one of the sportโ€™s most exclusive and high-stakes events.

Diya Chitale, Manush Shah Script History

Diya and Manushโ€™s qualification is particularly momentous, as they become not only the first Indian duo in Mixed Doubles but the first Indians ever to feature in any category at the WTT Finals. Their consistent performances through the year - including a historic mixed doubles silver medal at the WTT Star Contender Brazil 2025 - have earned them this milestone achievement.

โ€œItโ€™s a huge honour to compete in a Finals event, and an even bigger one to be the first Indians to do so. This moment isnโ€™t just ours - itโ€™s a sign of how much Indian table tennis has grown, and how bright its future looks. Iโ€™m proud to play even a small part in this story, and weโ€™ll give everything to make it a memorable one,โ€ said Diya Chitale on qualifying for the WTT Finals 2025.ย ITTF Expands World Team Table Tennis Championships 2026 to 64 Teams Each in Menโ€™s and Womenโ€™s Categories.

The duoโ€™s road to Hong Kong was paved with a string of standout performances across the season. Their title-winning run at WTT Contender Tunis (April 2025) - where they defeated Japanโ€™s Miwa Harimoto and Sora Matsushima in the final - remains their biggest triumph. They followed it up with strong showings at the US Smash (July 2025), where they beat Japanโ€™s Satsuki Odo and Koreaโ€™s Oh Junsung, and at the WTT Contender Buenos Aires (July 2025), where they overcame Satsuki Odo and Hiroto Shinozuka of Japan.

The Mixed Doubles event at the WTT Finals features a group stage (two groups of four pairs) followed by the semifinals, with matches played in a best-of-five format. Competing against the worldโ€™s top-ranked pairs from powerhouses such as China, South Korea, and Japan, Diya and Manush will carry Indiaโ€™s hopes on the global stage.

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