The Indian TT contingent made history earlier this year when both the men\u2019s and women\u2019s teams qualified for the Olympics for the first time and the preparatory camps, in Bengaluru from June 7-16 and in Saarbrucken, Germany earlier this month, were focused on working out the perfect combinations for the team events at the Paris Olympics, scheduled from July 26 to August 11.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cOn a given day, I think we really have a very good chance of beating any team. We have won against top teams in the world in the past and it is possible this time also if we give our best. In the Olympics, if all three of us can put on the best show then anything is possible,\u201d the 31-year-old Desai said during an interview with Ultimate Table Tennis.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Desai is part of the Indian men\u2019s team along with Achanta Sharath Kamal, Manav Thakkar and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran. He will also be competing in the individual events.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Desai\u2019s confidence stems from the fact that the Indian men\u2019s team had defeated the mighty Japan in the quarterfinals to clinch the bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Speaking about the rise of Indian table tennis on the world stage, Desai credited the central government\u2019s various schemes and the launch of Ultimate Table Tennis in 2017 for the development of the sport.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cUTT has helped us get more experience and exposure to play with international players and get guidance from foreign coaches. That was not the case before 2017. So, this kind of experience has helped the players get more self-belief and perform well in the international arena,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Speaking about the rise of Indian table tennis on the world stage, Desai credited the central government\u2019s various schemes and the launch of Ultimate Table Tennis in 2017 for the development of the sport.<\/p>\r\n\r\n