'Don't Like To Predict': Harmeet Desai Eyes Podium Finish At Asian Games

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Last Updated:May 31, 2025, 15:45 IST

Harmeet Desai hopes Ultimate Table Tennis will help him kickstart his preparations for bigger internatona tournaments.

Harmeet Desai will represent Goa Challengers. (PTI Photo)

Two-time Commonwealth Games champion Harmeet Desai is focused on achieving a podium finish at next year’s Asian Games in Japan and will use the sixth season of Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) to kick-start his preparations, as it features many accomplished players.

Desai, currently ranked 66th in the world, won gold medals in the men’s team event at the 2018 Gold Coast and 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. He also secured a bronze medal in the men’s doubles at Gold Coast and another bronze in the men’s team event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

“I don’t like to predict too much. I am just taking it step by step; at the moment I am just focusing on UTT," Desai, who will be playing for two-time champions Goa Challengers in the eight-team UTT, told news agency PTI.

“Definitely, more important tournaments are coming. Next is the Slovenia WTT tournament, and the Asian Games are also lined up next year, so my focus is on that as of now.

“The UTT is a great platform to start my preparations for the Asian Games as many world champions, Asian champions, and Olympians are participating in the event," he added.

Goa Challengers are two-time defending champions, having won the title in 2023 and 2024, and are aiming for a hat-trick of crowns.

He believes the league has transformed the sport in India. It began in 2017, but two seasons were cancelled due to COVID-19.

“If you see the graph of Indian table tennis, it has risen a lot. We used to be ranked around No. 30 in the world, but now we have risen to the top 10 in the recent past," Desai said.

“In the last Olympics, both teams qualified for the first time. We have been winning medals at the Asian Championships and Commonwealth Games. Many players have entered the top 100 in the world rankings.

“The juniors have been doing really well. The senior women’s team got into the top 25 in the world rankings. These kinds of things never happened before, so all credit goes to UTT because it gave us exposure to learn from foreign players and coaches," he added.

Desai, who is from Surat, is excited to play in his home state, which is hosting the tournament for the first time.

“It’s the first UTT season in Gujarat, my home state, so I am really excited to perform before home fans. It’s a big opportunity to inspire youngsters who are considering table tennis as a future prospect.

“It will be a great platform for the youngsters of Gujarat to watch international players, including 32 Olympians," he noted.

The sixth season of UTT will be held at the EKA Arena from May 31 to June 15.

With PTI Inputs

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