Into the Big Sea: Done with transition, young Yashaswini Ghorpade sets sights on beating the best

Twenty-year-old Indian paddler, Yashaswini Ghorpade, stunned China’s WR-35 Fan Siqi in UTT 2025.

On an electric evening in Ahmedabad’s Eka Arena during Season 6 of Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), the crowd roared not just for a point won, but for a boundary pushed.

In a match that had everything — drama, comebacks, and nerve — 20-year-old Yashaswini Ghorpade, donning the orange, black of U Mumba TT, pulled off a stunning 2–7 comeback in the decider to topple Fan Siqi of Chennai Lions, who came into the tie unbeaten this UTT Season 6.

With the scoreboard reading 11-5, 6-11, and 10-10 in the deciding third game, the clash was set for a Golden Point finish — one shot to decide two crucial team points. Ghorpade, calm but fierce, didn’t flinch. She took the point, the match, and became the first paddler this season to defeat Siqi, a Chinese powerhouse ranked World No. #35, who boasts two WTT titles and a career-high rank of 11.

It wasn’t just a win. It was a statement. And it was Indian table tennis telling the world: we’re coming.

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In table tennis, beating a Chinese player is no ordinary feat. China has long been the sport’s gold standard, producing athletes with technique, temperament, and legacy. Indian victories over them have been rare — and celebrated. In the last two years, only a handful of Indians have cracked the Chinese wall.

Ayhika Mukherjee’s win over World No. #1 Sun Yingsha, Sreeja Akula’s upset of World No. #2 Wang Yidi, and now, Yashaswini Ghorpade’s win over Fan Siqi — each is a symbol of a shift.

Ghorpade, currently ranked World No. #81, isn’t new to cause upsets in the circuit. But this one, against a Chinese opponent on a UTT stage, marked one of her most defining moments yet in the league.

“I just talk to myself during matches,” she said in an exclusive interview with Khel Now. “It helps me stay in the present. And belief — in myself, in my preparation — that’s all that matters.”

Much is made of Ghorpade’s choice of equipment — she plays with a short pimple rubber, not a rarity in Indian women’s table tennis where topspin and looping rallies dominate. But her win was not about just that. It was about how she used it — with intelligence, variation, and composure.

“When I started, Manika di [Batra] was already using pimples. My coach made me try it — it suited me well,” she shared. “It’s just one part of my game, not the reason I win the matches.”

Against Siqi, she didn’t just absorb pressure. She dictated rhythm, changed pace, and found angles when it mattered most. It was a showcase of not just skill, but maturity — something that doesn’t always come easily in the jump from junior to senior level.

Also Read: More backhand, good insights: How Sreeja Akula plotted win over UTT’s highest-ranked player Bernadette Szocs

Yashaswini’s name is already familiar to the TT community. She was World No. #1 in U19 doubles, a key part of India’s golden generation alongside players like Suhana Saini and Payas Jain. But senior-level table tennis, she admits, is another ocean altogether.

“Last year was my transition phase. From juniors to seniors — it’s like diving into a big sea. Everyone’s got strong skills, strong mentality. Matching them is a challenge,” she said. “But that’s the focus now — not just matching but getting better.”

That focus paid off in 2024 when she won two senior national-ranking tournaments — one in Kangra, and another in her hometown Bengaluru. Those wins cemented her spot on the national team and built the confidence that shone through in her UTT performance.

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Like many young athletes, Ghorpade draws strength from her family. “My mother used to travel with me a lot. She still comes to most Indian events,” she said. “Even if she’s not physically there, she’s always cheering for me. My dad too — even when he watches replays, he’s stressed!” she laughed.

For a female athlete in India, she acknowledges that parental support is a game-changer. “They believed in me even when I doubted myself. That makes a big difference.”

Equally important is her support system among fellow athletes. Her WhatsApp group with peers like Suhana Saini, Taneesha Kotecha and Payas Jain is active and affirming.

“We give each other advice — even on technique and strokes. And we cheer each other on, even if we’re not in the same tournaments. It’s a great bond, and I’m really grateful for it.”

Off the table, Yashaswini keeps it simple. She’s a Marvel fan, a Young Sheldon binge-watcher, and a music lover — with “Tu Hai Ki Nahi” from Roy currently topping her playlist. But beneath that chill exterior lies a player who’s building mental muscle.

“I really don’t mind if she is Chinese or some European,” Yashaswini said after the win. “She was just an opponent to me. I talk to myself during matches. It helps me block out noise. And I remind myself of all the work I’ve done,” she said.

Her ultimate goals? “Right now, I just want to maintain my position in the team for the Asian Games and take it forward to the Olympics,” she said. Beyond that, she prefers to keep her cards close. She doesn’t say more — not out of modesty, but because she prefers to speak through her performances. And performances like the one against Fan Siqi speak volumes.

But if the Golden Point win over Fan Siqi is anything to go by, she’s already reshaping narratives. With athletes like Ghorpade leading the charge, Indian table tennis is writing its own script.

Yashaswini Ghorpade didn’t just win a match. She made a statement. “I’m learning. I’m rising.” Her calm eyes said after the match.

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