Achanta Sharath Kamal, India’s most celebrated paddler, has announced his retirement from table tennis with the upcoming WTT (World Table Tennis) Star Contender in Chennai set to be his last outing.
The 10-time National singles champion must be a content man. At 42, the five-time Olympian is the highest-ranked Indian in the world – 42nd according to the latest WTT ranking list. He is slotted 18 places above Manav Thakkar, the next best Indian male player.
That his family and close friends will be in attendance at his last international tournament in nearly three weeks’ time is the cherry on top.
| Video Credit:
Nihit Sachdeva
All those who have known Sharath for a considerable length of time will know that the paddler has been the epitome of grace. There won’t be many who would have anything negative to say about him.
Of all his achievements on the professional tour, Asian Games and the Olympics, it’s his record at the Commonwealth Games that remains unsurpassed; he has bagged a whopping 13 medals across five editions.
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From winning the men’s singles and team gold at the 2006 Games in Melbourne on his debut to winning four medals (gold in men’s singles, team and mixed doubles and silver in men’s doubles events) in the 2022 Birmingham Games, Sharath has time and again proved that age is a mere number.
Sharath Kamal during the men’s singles medal ceremony at Birmingham 2022.
| Photo Credit:
Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
Sharath Kamal during the men’s singles medal ceremony at Birmingham 2022.
| Photo Credit:
Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
Setbacks in a long career are par for the course and the double Asiad medallist has dealt with them with complete transparency and grace. Sharath, who achieved a career-high world ranking of 30 in 2019, has handled criticisms in a manner that would be a lesson for any high-profile sportsperson.
The hip injury he suffered during the 2015 World Championships in Suzhou changed the course of his career. There were times his parents wondered if he should continue playing. There were occasions when even some of his contemporaries felt he was merely lengthening his career. But Sharath braved it all to emerge not just stronger, but also a fitter and a better player. One who had mastered the art of peaking at the right time.
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His biggest off-field challenge came in 2022 when the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) got suspended by the Delhi High Court. When the Committee of Administrators (CoA) took charge for nine-odd months, Sharath had to put on a tough balancing act. Despite giving his best, he was criticised for ‘running with the hare and hunting with the hounds’.
In the run-up to the Paris Olympics, Sharath’s rankings plummeted. The Singapore Smash turned out to be a blessing as Sharath upset a couple of higher-ranked paddlers to reach the quarterfinals.
Qualifying for the Paris Olympics as a team (men and women) for the first time must count as one of Sharath’s biggest achievements. Of course, not being able to win a medal would have been a tad disappointing. If the veteran’s younger teammates do manage to pull it off the next time, Sharath undoubtedly will be the first to join the celebrations.
Now, as co-chair of the International Table Tennis Federation’s (ITTF) Athletes Commission, Sharath is having his hands full as he travels around the globe. He will also hope that his proposed TT Academy, a joint collaboration with the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) at the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University in Melakottaiyur, bears fruition soon.
A true champion and a magnificent ambassador for the sport, Sharath’s relentless pursuit to serve the sport continues.
