AHMEDABAD: Yashaswini Ghorpade's career has been on an upwards trajectory. After conquering the junior level of table tennis, she has transitioned to the senior level. The 20-year-old won the senior nationals in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh last September before shining again in her hometown Bengaluru in December.
A noteworthy moment of her nascent career, however, came when she defeated the Chinese paddler, World No 35, Fan Siqi last week in the season six of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) at EKA Arena in Ahmedabad. Donning the orange and black jersey of U Mumba TT, Yashaswini displayed mental fortitude, edging past Siqi, who represented the Chennai Lions. That she won from a 2-7 deficit in the deciding tie, against an unbeaten opponent then, made it extra special. "It was a very important match for me as well as for my team (against Chennai). I did believe in myself for that match and I kept going, despite going 2-7 down. I kept winning the points as well. The celebration was amazing. I didn't believe it," she recalled.
Yashaswini's victory was a significant one as U Mumba TT went on to qualify for the playoffs after beating Dabang Delhi on Thursday. "It's been great playing with the team. We have bonded really well for almost three weeks already," she said.
Working under the guidance of a familiar face in John Murphy, the head coach of U Mumba TT, has helped. The Irishman is renowned for bringing Australia to the top-100 rankings during his tenure there. "I have known John since my youth. He used to travel with the Australian team. He has been quite helpful in the camps there as well. Knowing him quite well from before has also helped us in bonding very well this year. He is a great coach," she added.
Prior to the UTT 6, which started on May 31, Yashaswini made her debut in the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Championships mid-May. She paired with paddler Diya Chitale and lost in the pre-quarterfinals in the women's doubles event. This run came amidst forgettable outings for other Indian paddlers. However, it was a great learning experience for the youngster. "It was a great feeling playing with high-level players. This tournament (World C'ships) is second only to the Olympics. Myself and Diya played really well and gave our best," she said.
Transitioning to the senior level of any sport comes with a lot of challenges for young players. Yashaswini explained her transition. "I have learnt that the pressure that we feel before the match, many people don't get to feel it. We are very lucky to feel it. I like the pressure going forward. I have learnt along it (transition to senior levels) to believe in myself and to continue the process and enjoy the moment," she said.
Twelve weeks after being inducted into the ranking system of the ITTF, she is ranked 79. After UTT concludes, Yashaswini will be focussing on improving her game before next year's Asian Games. "I will be taking part in the Asian Championships in Bhubaneswar in October," she signed off.
Yashaswini's level of performance is a welcome boost for Indian table tennis. Come Saturday, she will be hoping to inspire U Mumba during their semifinal encounter against defending champions Dempo Goa Challengers.
Jaipur Patriots enter final
It all came to the final, and the most-awaited match between Sreeja Akula and Diya Chitale to decide the winner of the semifinal tie between Jaipur Patriots and Dabang Delhi on Friday. In the second and final women’s singles match, Sreeja Akula got things running by taking the first set home 11-9. Chitale remained determined and took the second set 6-11. Sreeja seemed unfazed by the pressure of the deciding set and guided the Patriots to Sunday's final.