Abhishek Yadav, who fought hard before going down 2-4 to World No 1 and top-seed Chinese Zhendong Fan in the semi-finals of the Asian Youth Games in China this August, is hoping for a podium finish at the India Junior and Cadet Open Table Tennis Championship that gets underway at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Stadium, Worli today.

India junior paddler Abhishek Yadav. Pic/Suresh KK