When paddler Diya Chitale and her mixed-doubles partner Manush Shah qualified for the WTT Finals in Hong Kong (December 10 to 14) by virtue of being the fifth-ranked pair in the WTT Series Finals ranking, it was a case of achieving the target that the duo had set at the very start of the year. In doing so, they also become the first Indians ever to qualify for the prestigious season-ending event. “It [qualifying for the WTT Finals] was our goal for the year, and becoming the first Indians to do so is a very big achievement for us. Only the Top 7 pairs make it to these Finals, so I’m very happy and excited to be in it,” Santacruz-based Chitale told mid-day.

Consistent results 

Chitale and Shah’s rise through the ranks should not come as a surprise. They’ve been playing together for two years now after joining forces in October 2023, where they reached the quarter-finals in their maiden outing at the WTT Contender Muscat, immediately showing the kind of synergy that has held them in good stead. The duo have been the epitome of consistency, reaching the quarter-final stage in nine of the 11 tournaments they’ve played this year, with their crowning glory being the title win at the WTT Contender Tunis (in Tunisia), where they beat Japanese second seed Miwa Harimoto and Sora Matsushima.