As a seasoned veteran of the Indian table tennis scene, Achanta Sharath has officially qualified for his fourth Olympic appearance. He locked in his spot for the Tokyo Games on Thursday by sweeping Muhammad Rameez of Pakistan with a series of sets ending 11-4, 11-1, 11-5, and 11-4. Sharath earned his entry by finishing second among the five groups, whereas Sathiyan secured his qualification by leading the South Asian Olympic Qualification tournament.
Achanta Sharath is a veteran of Indian table tennis and he qualified for his fourth Olympics when he booked his spot in the Tokyo Games on Thursday and he did so by defeating Pakistan’s Muhammad Rameez by 11-4, 11-1, 11-5, 11-4. Sharath was able to qualify for the Tokyo Games thanks to him being ranked as the second player amongst the 5 groups. While his compatriot Sathiyan qualified by finishing at the top spot in the South Asian Olympic Qualification tournament.
Discussing his return to form after the pandemic, Sharath opened up about the mental toll the lockdown took on him. He found it particularly challenging because everything stopped just a few months before the Olympics—a scenario he was completely unprepared for. However, he feels positive about his play over the last few weeks and is now fully focused on competing in Tokyo.
According to Sharath, the most grueling part of the pandemic break was trying to keep his game sharp. Despite staying active with home exercises and a steady practice routine, he struggled with a lingering sense of uncertainty.
He explained that he didn't get back to actual practice until August, and the primary challenge was finding the drive to keep going every day without a clear roadmap. He noted that while players eventually returned to their routines as things normalized, they found themselves lagging behind top-tier nations who hadn't faced such prolonged interruptions. On a brighter note, he highlighted his victory over the world No. 16 in Doha as a major confidence booster.
Sharath described his match against Sathiyan as a high-caliber encounter. Knowing that defeating the Pakistani opponent would guarantee qualification for both him and Sathiyan, he viewed his game against his compatriot more as a valuable, high-intensity training session.
Looking back at the evolution of the sport in India, the veteran expressed pride in how far table tennis has come. He believes the standard of play has risen significantly, driven by a new wave of domestic talent. Sharath is impressed by the skill level of the younger generation and hopes the sport will receive the priority and support it deserves.
Sharath mentioned that he will coordinate with his support staff to tailor his training regimen based on the evolving global pandemic situation. Since both he and Sathiyan are based in Chennai, he is confident they will have access to the high-quality training they need.