‘I am fond of Manika’s game; we have discussed our playing styles’: Yashaswini Ghorpade

Yashaswini Ghorpade, a rising Indian table tennis player, shares her admiration for Manika Batra and her journey in the sport.

Yashaswini Ghorpade is a fan of Manika Batra and idolises the star paddler’s game. In fact, both play with long pimples on backhand and plain rubber on forehand.

As part of the Indian team camp held in Bengaluru and then in Sweden recently, the 20-year-old from Bengaluru enjoyed being with the Indian women’s team camp for the first time in her career.

“I am fond of Manika’s game. We have discussed our playing styles. I asked a few questions to her and she did give very warm answers. I felt very good,” said Yashaswini.

The camp in Bengaluru and Sweden, said the Bengaluru lass, was intense and fun, too. “We played with the Swedish National team where the 2019 World championship men’s singles finalist Mattias Falck was there. The bonding with the team was amazing.” Yashaswini said.

From beginning to compete on the women’s circuit full time as late as last year, Yashaswini has done quite well. She is now the fourth highest world ranked Indian at 80, her highest-ever so far.

Yashaswini had a good 2024, having reached the finals of the WTT Feeder in Doha, and the quarterfinals of the WTT Feeder in Dusseldorf and the WTT Contender in Lagos. Significantly, she entered the main draw of the Singapore Smash this year as a qualifier, gaining crucial ranking points.

“The Lagos and Singapore Smash are my best performance. In Doha, I never expected to reach the final. I beat a few Japanese and one from Singapore. I was a bit down in the pre-quarterfinals but I fought back to reach the final. In Singapore Smash, I was in good form as it was immediately after the Senior National championships where I reached the semifinals,” said the Belgavi-born paddler.