UTT: Manav Thakkar reflects on UP Prometheans’ disappointing debut campaign
Table tennis player Manav Thakkar reflected on his team's poor performance in the Ultimate Table Tennis league, which was compounded by his own viral illness. Despite the season's failure, Thakkar remains focused on his recovery and future goals for the Asian Games.
Why it matters
The article provides insight into the physical and mental challenges faced by professional athletes during league campaigns.
For the better part of the last fortnight, Manav Thakkar has been fighting two battles.
One was visible under the bright lights of the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, where UP Prometheans endured a miserable debut campaign in Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7. The other was hidden from view — a viral infection that not only ruled India’s top-ranked men’s singles paddler out of two ties but also derailed months of planning for what promises to be the most important phase of his career.
By the time the league stage ended, the Prometheans had finished rooted to the bottom of the table with just 32 points from six ties. Thakkar, meanwhile, had shed over five kilograms and was still searching for full fitness.
Yet, even while calling the season “a total disaster”, the 26-year-old refused to let the disappointment cloud the bigger picture.
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