WTT Star Contender Doha 2026: Updated schedule, fixtures, results, live streaming details
12 Indians will be in action at the WTT Star Contender Doha 2026.
The WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 will take place from January 13 to 18 at the Lusail Sports Arena in Doha, Qatar. The tournament boasts a total prize pool of $300,000.
The tournament will include five categories—men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. Six paddlers each will compete in the men’s and women’s singles categories.
Manav Thakkar & Sathiyan G will begin their campaign in the main draw, while Manush Shah, Akash Pal, Ankur Bhattacharjee, and Payas Jain will compete in the qualifying draw as they look to qualify for the main round.
Meanwhile, in the women’s singles, Manika Batra and Ayhika Mukherjee have received a direct entry into the main draw. The remaining four players—Yashaswini Ghorpade, Diya Chitale, Swastika Ghosh, and Taneesha Kotecha—will take the longer route, beginning their campaign in the qualifying round.
India’s top men’s doubles duo, Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah, are among the medal contenders in the event. They are seeded third in the tournament.
The pair of Payas Jain and Ankur Bhattacharjee will also kickstart their campaign in the main draw, while the duo of Sathiyan G and Akash Pal will compete in the qualifying round.
In the women’s doubles category, none of the Indian pairs have received a direct entry into the main round. All three pairs will face a challenging task as they strive to secure a spot in the next round of the competition.
The duos include Manika Batra/Diya Chitale, Ayhika Mukherjee/Yashaswini Ghorpade, and Swastika Ghosh/Taneesha Kotecha.
Also Read: WTT Feeder Series 2026: Manush Shah & Ryu Hanna take singles titles in Vadodara
On the other hand, Diya Chitale will pair with Manush Shah in the mixed doubles main draw. Yashaswini Ghorpade and Ankur Bhattacharjee will join forces in the mixed doubles category and will look to qualify for the main round.
WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 dates & venue
- Date: January 13 to 18
- Venue: Lusail Sports Arena, Doha, Qatar
Who are the top-seeded paddlers competing at WTT Star Contender Doha 2026?
Men’s Singles
- Lin Shidong (China) – World Rank #2
- Hugo Calderano (Brazil) – World Rank #3
- Tomokazu Harimoto (Japan) – World Rank #5
- Liang Jingkun (China) – World Rank #7
- Xinag Peng (China) – World Rank #11
- Benedikt Duda (Germany) – World Rank #12
- Lin Yun-Ju (Chinese Taipei) – World Rank #13
- An Jaehyun (South Korea) – World Rank #15
Women’s Singles
- Kuai Man (China) – World Rank #4
- Zhu Yuling (Macau) – World Rank #7
- Chen Yi (China) – World Rank #9
- Shin Yubin (South Korea) – World Rank #12
- Shi Xunyao (China) – World Rank #13
- Satsuki Odo (Japan) – World Rank #14
- Miyuu Kihara (Japan) – World Rank #17
- Joo Cheonhui (South Korea) – World Rank #18
Men’s Doubles
- Jonghoon Lim/An Jae-hyun (South Korea)
- Wong Chun-ting/Baldwin Chan (Hong Kong)
- Manav Thakkar/Manush Shah (India)
- Liang Jingkun/Lin Shidong (China)
Women’s Doubles
- Ryu Hanna/Kim Nayeong (South Korea)
- Satsuki Odo/Sakura Yokoi (Japan)
- Cheonhui Joo/Shin Yu-bin (South Korea)
- Shi Xunyao/Wang Xiaotong (China)
Mixed Doubles
- Jonghoon Lim/Shin Yu-bin (South Korea)
- Wong Chun-ting/Doo Hoi Kim (Hong Kong)
- Alvaro Robles/Maria Xiao (Spain)
- Huang Youzheng/Chen Yi (China)
Which Indian players are participating in WTT Star Contender Doha 2026?
Men’s Singles
- Manav Thakkar – World Rank #35
- Sathiyan G – World Rank #56
- Manush Shah – World Rank #76
- Akash Pal – World Rank #132
- Ankur Bhattacharjee – World Rank #133
- Payas Jain – World Rank #150
Women’s Singles
- Manika Batra – World Rank #52
- Ayhika Mukherjee – World Rank #93
- Yashaswini Ghorpade – World Rank #85
- Diya Chitale – World Rank #87
- Swastika Ghosh – World Rank #130
- Taneesha Kotecha – World Rank #245
Men’s Doubles
- Manav Thakkar/Manush Shah
- Payas Jain/Ankur Bhattacharjee
- Sathiyan G/Akash Pal
Women’s Doubles
- Manika Batra/Diya Chitale
- Ayhika Mukherjee/Yashaswini Ghorpade
- Swastika Ghosh/Taneesha Kotecha
Mixed Doubles
- Diya Chitale/Manush Shah
- Yashaswini Ghorpade/Ankur Bhattacharjee
WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 format & prize money
The WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 will be held on a knockout basis, starting with the qualifying draw, followed by the main draw. The total prize money for the tournament is $300,000.
Where and how to watch the live telecast and live streaming of WTT Star Contender Doha 2026?
All live matches of the WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 can be viewed live on the World Table Tennis (WTT) Official YouTube Channel and the WTT App. Additionally, live streaming is available on the WTT’s official website for fans worldwide.
WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 full schedule and results
To be announced
When and where will the WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 be held?
The tournament will take place from January 13 to 18, 2026, at the Lusail Sports Arena in Doha, Qatar.
How many Indian players are participating in the tournament?
A total of 12 Indian paddlers will compete across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events.
Which Indian players have direct entry into the men’s singles main draw?
Manav Thakkar and Sathiyan G have received direct entry into the men’s singles main draw.
Which Indian women are directly entered into the women’s singles main draw?
Manika Batra and Ayhika Mukherjee will start directly from the main draw in women’s singles.
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Farzan is a journalist at Khel Now covering Indian Olympic sports and kabaddi. With five years of experience working with major sports organizations like Chennaiyin FC, Dabang Delhi K.C., Rajasthan Royals, and Yuva Kabaddi Series, he brings diverse expertise. Farzan has covered two Olympics, one Commonwealth Games, and one Asian Games, making his knowledge of Indian sports broad and versatile.