‘We Can Come Up With A Big Surprise…’: Indian Table Tennis Team Head Coach On Paris 2024 Olympics

Mumbai: Insisting that even the table tennis powerhouses are desirous to preclude taking part in India inner the speedier rounds prompted by their exploits inner the closing 365 days, Indian group’s Italian tutor Massimo Costantini exuded self perception that the gamers should spring some surprises in both the group and diverse events on the upcoming Paris Olympics, scheduled from July 26 to August Eleven.

India has certified for both the adult adult males’s and women’s group events, both for the first time inner the history of the Olympics, and Costantini has been roped in to guide the gamers on the flawless stage. This may be his 1/3 stint with the Indian kingdom extensive group, and the sixty six-year-ancient has witnessed the upward thrust of Indian table tennis therefore of the reality he first came to India in 2009. Beneath Costantini, India clinched a report eight medals, inclusive of three gold, on the Commonwealth Games in 2018 and two bronze medals on the 2018 Asian Games.

“Qualifying for the group events is already an achievement as a outcomes of just Sixteen teams from across the sphere get to characterize on the Olympics. Or not it truly is a lot rough to claim even with no matter if or not we are capable to win a medal, alternatively I'm going to be able to definitely say that we are capable to supply you with a gigantic shock. There were adequate signals inner the previous six months that even teams like China are frightened about taking part in in opposition to India early inner the competitors,” Costantini acknowledged the total way basically by an interview with Closing Desk Tennis (UTT).

The Indian women’s group pushed China to the brink on the World Crew Desk Tennis Championships in Busan beforehand this year, with Ayhika Mukherjee and Sreeja Akula upsetting the sphere great and world number two gamers, respectively, inner the group’s 2-Three loss. Since then Sreeja has change into the first Indian singles participant to win a WTT Contender title in Lagos even as the likes of Manika Batra and adult adult males’s stars inclusive of the experienced Achanta Sharath have struck classification.

Costantini, whose second stint obvious India win two Asian Games medals in 2018, has an great rapport with the Indian squad and has been in moderation following the development of Indian table tennis over time. The Italian, who competed on the 1988 Olympics, felt that the off of Closing Desk Tennis has been a online activity changer.

“UTT has awarded Indian gamers an danger to purchase particulars and day out. The combo of getting world coaches working with Indian coaches together with early lifestyles development classes has ensured that Indian gamers are geared as much as take on the upper inner the sphere,” he acknowledged.

Speaking in regards to the group’s practise for the Paris Olympics, Costantini acknowledged he change into presently inner the capacity of assessing the extent at which the gamers are taking part in and likewise understanding the doubles combos for the group championships as the Indian contingent participates in some WTT events across the globe. “Our intention is additionally to supply you with good consequences in these events so that we are capable to toughen our rankings so that we are capable to preclude taking part in the pinnacle 4 countries beforehand the quarter-final stage, as the rankings will get updated beforehand the Games and will examine the draw,” he delivered.

The Indian adult adult males’s group is presently ranked 14th inner the sphere, even as the women are ranked Eleventh.

Costantini acknowledged the group would also get pleasure from their opponents in Paris way in improve, and which will aid them prepare higher. “The hole between us and the pinnacle teams is never any longer that big. Since we are capable to understand our opponents in improve and now we have the particulars and seem up about all these teams, we are capable to have time to prepare nicely and tactically work on bridging that small hole.”
Indian table tennis fanatics can be hoping that the group no longer easiest bridges that hole alternatively also goes one higher and creates history in Paris.

After the Olympics, fanatics may even witness attention-grabbing table tennis motion on the upcoming Closing Desk Tennis 2024, scheduled to be held in Chennai from August 22 to September 7.