The WTT Star Contender Chennai 2026, held from February 10 to 15 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, served up a week of compelling table tennis that saw underdogs rise, favorites fall, and a proud moment for Indian table tennis on home soil.

In the men's singles final, Slovakia's Lubomir Jancarik delivered a masterful performance to defeat France's Thibault Poret 4-2 (11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8). Jancarik, who had been in fine form throughout the tournament, showed remarkable composure in the decisive sixth game. After Poret clawed back to level the match at 2-2 in the fourth game, the Slovak responded with steely determination, clinching the final two games to lift the trophy. It was a breakthrough moment for Jancarik on the WTT circuit, confirming his status as one of the sport's rising talents.

The women's singles final was a more one-sided affair, with Japan's top seed Satsuki Odo steamrolling compatriot Miu Hirano 4-0 in what turned into a dominant display of aggressive, front-of-the-table play. Odo, who has been steadily climbing the world rankings, left little room for the experienced Hirano to mount any comeback, executing her forehand attacks with surgical precision throughout the match.

The mixed doubles final provided the tournament's most emotionally charged contest. Romania's Eduard Ionescu and Bernadette Szocs, the reigning European mixed doubles champions, proved too strong for India's Harmeet Desai and Yashaswini Ghorpade, winning 3-0 (11-9, 11-2, 11-8). Despite the straight-games defeat, the Indian pair earned a significant milestone: their silver medal marked the first-ever podium finish for Indian players at a WTT Star Contender event on home soil, drawing roaring support from the packed Chennai crowd throughout their run.

The men's doubles produced a bittersweet ending, as France's Thibault Poret and Flavien Coton were awarded their first WTT title after South Korea's Lim Jonghoon and Oh Junsung were forced to withdraw from the final due to injury. While not the way any pair would choose to claim gold, Poret and Coton had earned their place in the final through impressive performances in the earlier rounds.

In the women's doubles, Japan's Sakura Yokoi and Sachi Aoki pulled off one of the tournament's biggest upsets, defeating South Korea's favored pair Kim Nayeong and Ryu Hanna 3-1 to claim the title. The Japanese duo displayed exceptional coordination and quick reflexes at the net, neutralizing the Korean pair's powerful style.

The Chennai event also served as an important checkpoint on the road to the 2026 ITTF World Cup in Macao, with players accumulating valuable ranking points. The tournament came on the heels of the ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup in Haikou, China, where world number one Sun Yingsha claimed her first Asian Cup singles title and Wang Chuqin successfully defended his men's crown.

With the WTT circuit now moving forward, all eyes turn to the upcoming events on the calendar, including the highly anticipated ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in London later this year. The Chennai tournament proved once again that the sport continues to grow in India and across the globe, delivering world-class competition and unforgettable moments for fans.