WTT Star Contender Chennai: At a special press conference inaugurating the WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 on Wednesday, India’s most decorated table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal announced his retirement from the sport. The tournament, which is slated to take place on March 25, will be his last as a professional player, and Sharath hopes it inspires the younger generations and is rooting for them to fill the massive gap left by his departure.
Kamal’s spectacular journey has seen him decorated with 13 Commonwealth Games medals, among them seven gold medals, two bronze medals at the Asian Games, and four bronze at the Asian Championships. No Indian table tennis player has graced the Olympics more times than Sharath (5), culminating in the honour of being India’s male flag-bearer at Paris 2024.
“The event in Chennai will inspire the younger generations, and I hope people will come in big numbers to support us, which will see Table Tennis’ popularity grow even further. I hope it inspires and helps younger players grow, and perhaps someone can grow into my boots here sooner or later,” Kamal told IANS.
