Fitting farewell

For more than a decade, he has been the face of Indian table tennis. That his farewell match came against a promising youngster feels almost poetic — a passing of the torch, a sign of how far Indian TT has come under his influence.

Surrounded by family, friends, and fans, Sharath would have loved to cap off his final event with a deeper run. Especially against Snehit, with whom he played doubles in the same tournament, he might have expected to have the upper hand. But the mentality shift among young Indian paddlers, one that Sharath himself inspired, was on full display. They play to win, no matter the opponent.

The 42-year-old icon fell 0-3 (9-11, 8-11, 9-11) to 24-year-old Snehit Suravajjula, a young Indian paddler who grew up idolising him. (Credit: WTT)

“I’ve been like a mentor to him,” Sharath said. “We’ve worked together a lot. But it’s the same with Manav (Thakkar), Manush (Shah), Snehit, and all the youngsters.”

When asked if he would have preferred facing a foreign player in his last match, Sharath admitted, “It would’ve been ideal. When you play a foreigner, the whole team and crowd are behind you, pushing you. But that’s how the draw worked, and I’m happy for Snehit — he’s had a fantastic tournament.” Snehit’s impressive run ended in the quarterfinals later in the day, where he lost 1-3 to France’s Thibault Poret.

No second thoughts

Still being in exceptional touch, Sharath was asked if he had second thoughts about retirement. His answer was firm: no regrets. “I made this decision six months ago,” he said. “Once you decide, your mind stops working toward further growth in competition. I was mentally prepared.” This foresight helped him transition both emotionally and mentally, ensuring he could step away from the game on his own terms.

But whenever a sporting legend retires, one question inevitably follows: Who will fill the void? For Indian table tennis, Sharath insisted there’s no need to worry. “There’s a strong bench strength, and I know I’m leaving the game in safe hands,” he said. “Ankur Bhattacharjee, Payas Jain, and Anirban Ghosh are eager to make a mark, while Manav, Manush, and Snehit have already stepped up. Then there’s Harmeet Desai and G Sathiyan, who are now senior pros.”

However, he acknowledges that playing until 42, like he did, will be tough for this new generation. “The playing field has become more grueling. There are a lot more tournaments, a lot more talent, a lot more things happening. Wear and tear is very high for the players. It’s not very easy to play for a longer period of time,” he said.

Sharath won’t be far from the sport. He already holds influential roles as co-chair of the ITTF Athletes’ Commission and vice-chairperson of the IOA’s Athletes’ Commission. But stepping away from competition? That part still felt surreal to him. “Ask me this question in two months,” he admitted. “Maybe then it’ll truly sink in. I don’t know what’s ahead, but I’m happy with my decision. I’m not thinking about the past or the future. I’m just in the present and I’m content.”