Sharath Kamal retires with Round of 16 loss at WTT Star Contender in Chennai

Indian table tennis legend Achanta Sharath Kamal’s illustrious career came to an end on Saturday afternoon (March 29) in front of his home fans in Chennai as he lost his men’s singles pre-quarterfinals match at the WTT Star Contender 2025.

Also read: Exclusive interview with Sharath Kamal

Five-time Olympian Sharath bowed out with a 0-3 loss to his doubles partner Snehit Suravajjula at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, the same venue where he played his first national and international tournaments more than 25 years ago.

Fans cheer Sharath

Snehit won 11-9, 11-8, 11-9 against Sharath in 25 minutes. It was the end of an era, as the match ended at 1:41 PM amid huge cheers and chants of “Sharath, Sharath” from the fans.

All eyes were on Sharath as he fought hard till the end but the 24-year-old Snehit, a wildcard entrant, prevailed in straight games.

What Sharath said

Speaking to the media after the match, Sharath said he had made the decision to retire six months ago, and added that it is the right time to go.

"It's the right time to go. I made this decision six months ago. So, of course, when you make that decision, then the mind also doesn't work towards getting to that level," he said. "The way it has ended, I can't ask for anything more. I didn't expect much from this tournament. But I came out with a semi-final in the men's doubles and singles in the last 16. Of course, I'd have loved to keep playing today in this tournament."

When asked whether there were any regrets, he said none but admitted that an Olympic medal would have been good.

"Regrets, not majorly. Of course, I always wanted that Olympic medal. But still, we were pretty far in reality. Paris 2024 was the closest in the team championships when we got in there. But again, the draw was not very favourable for us."

"It's been a wonderful journey. Every time there have been some highs, there have been some lows. I enjoyed every part of it," he added.

On his future plans, Sharath said he is yet to decide whether he wants to take up coaching at some level soon. "You'll have to ask me the question two months later. That will sink in and I will figure it out. At this moment, I don't know what lies ahead for me. But I'm happy with just this decision. I'm not thinking about the future. I'm not thinking about the past. I'm just thinking about the present. I'm happy with the decision."

Sharath's achievements

Sharath’s storied career saw him win 10 national titles, participating in five Olympics between 2004 and 2024, and bagging 13 Commonwealth Games medals (7 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze). He was awarded India’s highest sporting honour Khel Ratna, and is also a recipient of Padma Shri and Arjuna Award. He was India’s flag-bearer along with badminton player P V Sindhu at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

On Friday, Sharath and Snehit lost in the semifinals of the men’s doubles.

The WTT Star Contender 2025 in Chennai boasts 600 ranking points for winners and a $275,000 prize purse, with top global paddlers in action.