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It seems New Delhi will host one of the ITTF tour event for the first time next year. So, that should help our players.

This is related news -

ITTF Announces 12 Host Cities for New & Improved 2017 World Tour

India joins the ITTF World Tour for the first time, with New Delhi hosting the breakthrough event in February next year.

ITTF World Tour - Czech Open - Major Series

Mens Singles

[R1] DESAI Harmeet (121, IND) d WISUTMAYTHANGKOON Supanut (357, THA) 12-10 11-4 12-10 13-11
[R1] GNANASEKARAN Sathiyan (170, IND) l KARLSSON Mattias (37, SWE) 7-11 5-11 7-11 7-11

[R2] DESAI Harmeet (121, IND) l LEE Junsang (16, KOR) 7-11 11-13 8-11 8-11

Womens Singles

[R1] TENNISON Reeth (NR, IND) l SATO Hitomi (20, JPN) 5-11 11-8 3-11 7-11 4-11
[R1] DAS Mouma (148, IND) d PERGEL Szandra (98, HUN) 11-2 11-8 5-11 11-3 8-11 11-7
[R1] BATRA Manika (127, IND) d DE NUTTE Sarah (116, LUX) 11-9 5-11 11-6 9-11 11-9 11-8

[R2] DAS Mouma (148, IND) l SATO Hitomi (20, JPN) 8-11 7-11 7-11 4-11
[R2] BATRA Manika (127, IND) l HASHIMOTO Honoka (47, JPN) 11-8 2-11 8-11 4-11 8-11

Notwithstanding their straight set losses, the exposure to top quality opposition will point them to improvements that they need to carry out (in training) if they wish to get to the top 100 and higher. I also hope that this exposure will help some of them to play in the European TT leagues.

2016 ITTF World Tour Belgium Open (Challenge),20 Sep 2016 - 24 Sep 2016: R2 B4 event

Mens Singles

[R1] SHETTY Sanil (266, IND) l MUTTI Leonardo (188, ITA) 11-7,8-11,7-11,11-9,10-12,11-13
[R1] GNANASEKARAN Sathiyan (152, IND) d DIAW Ibrahima (UNR, FRA) 12-10,11-3,11-7,3-11,8-11,6-11,11-1

[R2] GNANASEKARAN Sathiyan (152, IND) d PERSSON Jon (103, SWE) 10-12,9-11,11-4,11-8,11-7,11-5
[R3] GNANASEKARAN Sathiyan (152, IND) d ARVIDSSON Simon (179, SWE) 11-8,7-11,11-7,11-7,11-6
[QF] GNANASEKARAN Sathiyan (152, IND) d MENGEL Steffen (75, GER) 8-11,16-14,11-7,11-7,9-11,11-5
[SF] GNANASEKARAN Sathiyan (152, IND) d ANDERSSON Harald (156, SWE) 12-10,8-11,11-1,4-11,11-8,9-11,11-6
[F] GNANASEKARAN Sathiyan (152, IND) d NUYTINCK Cedric (113, BEL) 15-13,11-6,11-2,17-15

Article on his win: http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-spo ... 144869.ece
Full match recording: http://www.ittf.com/ittv/

This is the first ITTF World Tour singles title (albeit Challenger) for an Indian after Sharath's Egypt Open win. Nice wins along the way for Sathiyan over 3 higher ranked players

Fantastic showing from Sathiyan. He is clearly under ranked and will move up if he gets to play more at the higher level. Funding will continue to remain an issue unless he is able to make to a team in the European league.

Another example of the idiocy that passes off as sports administration in India.

In June this year, the Table Tennis Federation of India had made a rule change wherein the cumulative points from all domestic tournaments, instead of the best three performances of a player, would be the eligibility criterion for representing the country at major international meets. And a press release from the Federation bemoaned the fact that not even the rule change had incentivised the senior players figuring in league competitions overseas to play domestic events in India.

Reacting to that, Sharath said: “I have nothing to prove to anybody. Ultimately, it is left to (India’s foreign coach Massimo) Constantini to decide the team.”

Complete New Report from the Hindu: Sharath Kamal shifts back to Chennai

sameerph wrote:It seems New Delhi will host one of the ITTF tour event for the first time next year. So, that should help our players.

This first ITTF world tour event is now taking place in New Delhi.

Our mens #1 Achantha Sharath Kamal has done well to reach the SF here. Just watched his QF where he scraped thru a thrilling close match to win.

None of our other players could reach the quarter finals.

These are results of Achantha Sharath Kamal so far -

[R1] ACHANTA Sharath Kamal (IND,62) d. AKKUZU Can (FRA,129) 11-5,11-8,11-4,8-11,11-8
[R2] ACHANTA Sharath Kamal (IND,62) d. MURAMATSU Yuto (JPN,24) 11-8,11-7,11-4,14-16,11-5

[QF] ACHANTA Sharath Kamal (IND,62) d. DRINKHALL Paul (ENG,42) 11-4,10-12,9-11,11-6,11-9,9-11,13-11

Later today-

[SF] ACHANTA Sharath Kamal (IND,62) vs. HARIMOTO Tomokazu (JPN,69)

The Japanese is a 14 year junior world champion. I am looking forward to watch this match at around 9 -9.30 pm India time.

Good to see Sharath do well here. Hope he gets to the final.

Sharath Kamal lost in the SF to the youngster.

[SF] ACHANTA Sharath Kamal (IND,62) l. HARIMOTO Tomokazu (JPN,69) 7-11 11-5 7-11 13-11 9-11 8-11

I missed the match yesterday but the 14 year old Japanese must be an amazing talent winning senior matches and tournaments at this age.

13 years

Definitely, this young Japnese lad, Tomokazu Harimoto, is talented ... Check these highlights of their match on YouTube.

2017 India Open Highlights: Achanta Sharath Kamal vs Tomokazu Harimoto

This is a nice article on Indian Table tennis and it's efforts to match the rise of badminton in India -

Table tennis eyes badminton route for return to glory days

I am not sure if I read about any attempts to actually improve in that article.

In this Chilean Challenge tournament, Soumyajit lifted the title beating Amalraj in the final.

At Challenge Seamaster Chile Open 2017, Santiago de Chile (26-30 April 2017)

[R16] Soumyajit Ghosh (IND) bt Juan Daher (ARG) 4-0 (11-6, 11-9, 11-6, 11-2)
[R16] Amalraj Anthony (IND) bt Pablo Tabchnik (ARG) 4-0 (11-4, 11-5, 11-5, 11-9)

[QF] Soumyajit Ghosh (IND) bt Horacio Cifuentes (ARG) 4-1 (7-11, 16-14, 11-7, 11-4, 11-4)
[QF] Amalraj Anthony (IND) bt Gaston Alto (ARG) 4-2 (7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5, 5-11, 11-6)

[SF] Soumyajit Ghosh (IND) bt Philipp Floritz (BUL) 4-0 (13-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-6)
[SF] Amalraj Anthony (IND) bt Hunor Szocs (ROU) 4-1 (4-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6)

Men's Singles Final
Soumyajit Ghosh (IND) bt Amalraj Anthony (IND) 4-2 (8-11, 13-11, 11-6, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7)

Turned out to be two terrific weeks for Amalraj as he was finalists in back to back South American ITTF Challenge tournaments, though he missed winning the title.

At Challenge Seamaster Brazil Open 2017, Sao Paulo (3-5 May 2017)

[R16] Soumyajit Ghosh (IND) l Eric Jouti (BRA) 1-4 (11-7, 6-11, 9-11, 9-11, 7-11)
[R16] Amalraj Anthony (IND) bt Massao Kohatsu (BRA) 4-1 (11-4, 12-10, 11-6, 8-11, 11-6)

[QF] Amalraj Anthony (IND) bt Hunor Szocs (ROU) 4-0 (11-6, 13-11, 11-8, 11-7)

[SF] Amalraj Anthony (IND) bt Philipp Floritz (BUL) 4-3 (6-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9)

Men's Singles Final
Amalraj Anthony (IND) l Hugo Calderano (BRA) 1-4 (12-14, 11-9, 7-11, 7-11, 5-11)