Sharath Kamal takes retirement after early exit from WTT Star Contender: 'I have done my part as a player'

Chennai: Ace table tennis player Sharath Kamal’s storied career came to an emotional end after succumbing to compatriot Snehit Suravajjula in the pre-quarterfinals of the WTT Star Contender tournament here on Saturday.

Sharath showed some fight but wild card Suravajjula prevailed in three straight sets — 11-9, 11-8, 11-9.

Sharath later played an exhibition match against Egypt’s Omar Assar to give another glimpse of exceptional skills to the spectators.

“Somewhere down the line I had felt it’s enough and I wanted to explore the possibility of giving back to the sport from the other side of the court,” Sharath said in his farewell address.

The 42-year-old said he would like to chip in an administrative role.

“I have done my part as a player, I felt I had contributed enough to the country as a player, and I want to contribute as an administrator, or a coach, a mentor, or even as just a senior player,” he added.

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Thakkar in semis

Earlier, the 24-year-old Manav Thakkar etched his name in history books by becoming the first Indian male player to reach a WTT Star Contender semifinal.

Manav claimed victory in successive five-game thrillers over Germany’s Andre Bertelsmeier and South Korea’s Lim Jong-hoon, an Olympic medallist, to reach the semifinals.

Manav beat Bertelsmeier 10-12, 12-10, 15-13, 6-11, 11-5 and then overcame Jong-hoon 5-11, 12-10, 3-11, 11-6, 11-1.

However, Snehit’s sensational run came to an end with a defeat against France’s Thibault Poret after his win over Sharath.

Poret won 11-4, 6-11, 11-7, 11-6.

In an electrifying showdown to close out the day, South Korea’s Lim Jong-hoon and An Jae-hyun powered their way to the men’s doubles crown, defeating top seeds Tomokazu Harimoto and Sora Matsushima — 11-4, 11-13, 11-2, 11-3.

In the women's doubles final, Japan’s Miwa Harimoto and Miyuu Kihara battled past Shin Yu-bin and Ryu Hanna — 9-11, 11-9, 13-11, 12-14, 11-5.