On a day of upsets, Snehit stages dramatic comeback

As many as 13 unexpected results rocked the draw in the WTT Star Contender at the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University here on Friday.

Those who tumbled out included India’s biggest medal hope — fourth seed and World No. 33 Manav Thakkar. He went down 6-11, 7-11, 11-9, 9-11 to World No. 174 Lubomir Jancarik of Czechia in the second round.

The 38-year-old Jancarik brought his experience to the table. Sharp and consistent, he mixed backhand sidespin serves with deep and controlled returns. The Czech, comfortable in short exchanges as well as extended rallies, rarely offered easy points and maintained relentless pressure.

In mixed doubles, India’s top-seeded pair of Manush Shah and Diya Chitale suffered a shock defeat at the hands of the wild cards, Payas Jain and Syndrela Das. Payas and Syndrela won the quarterfinal 12-10, 13-11, 10-12, 11-9.

S.F.R. Snehit, trailing by two games at one stage, scripted one of the most dramatic comebacks. The World No. 100 saved six match points in the decider to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat against 14th seed and World No. 61 Mizuki Oikawa of Japan. Snehit, who won 9-11, 15-17, 11-4, 11-6, 18-16, will face top seed Oh Junsung of Korea in the round of 16.

G. Sathiyan, the 10th seed, produced an inspired performance to defeat Korea’s Olympic medallist Lim Jonghoon, who was ranked as high as No. 11 in 2023, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11. In women’s singles, qualifier Nithya Mani battled past 14th seed and World No. 50 Minhyung Jee of Australia 10-12, 12-10, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7. The 22-year-old, the only Indian survivor in this section, will take on Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching.

Top results: Men (second round): Oh Junsung (Kor) bt Darius Movileanu (Rou) 11-6, 11-7, 11-5; S.F.R. Snehit bt Mizuki Oikawa (Jpn) 9-11, 15-17, 11-4, 11-6, 18-16; Thibault Poret (Fra) bt Akash Pal 14-12, 10-12, 11-8, 12-10; Lubomir Jancarik (Cze) bt Manav Thakkar 11-6, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9; G. Sathiyan bt Lim Jonghoon (Kor) 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11; Eduard Ionescu (Rou) bt Harmeet Desai 12-10, 11-9, 9-11, 4-11, 13-11; Kazuhiro Yoshimura (Jpn) bt Ankur Bhattacharjee 11-8, 11-4, 9-11, 11-7; Wim Verdonschot (Ger) bt P. B. Abhinandh 11-4, 11-8, 11-6.

Doubles (semifinals): Coton & Poret (Fra) bt Ankur & Payas Jain 7-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8; Jonghoon & Junsung (Kor) bt Harmeet & Sathiyan 11-2, 11-3, 12-10.

Women (second round): Nithya Mani bt Minhyung Jee (Aus) 10-12, 12-10, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7; Cheng I-Ching (Tpe) bt Ayhika Mukherjee 11-9, 11-5, 11-13, 11-5; Joo Cheonhui (Kor) bt Swastika Ghosh 11-2, 11-2, 9-11, 11-7; Sakura Yokoi (Jpn) bt Taneesha Kotecha 11-6, 11-4, 11-5; Hitomi Sato (Jpn) bt Diya Chitale 14-12, 11-5, 11-2; Doubles (semifinals): Ryun Hana & Kim Nayeong (Kor) bt Lakshita Narang & Hardes Patel 11-6, 11-4, 11-6.

Published – February 13, 2026 11:48 pm IST