Andre bertelsmeier

WTT Star Contender Chennai: Manav Thakkar’s historic run at the WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025 ended with a hard-fought 3-1 Semifinal loss to World No. 54 Thibault Poret on Sunday.

Having become the first Indian male player to reach a WTT Star Contender semifinal just a day earlier, Manav delivered a spirited performance at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, pushing the 20-year-old Frenchman in a thrilling, high-intensity contest.

Despite narrowly missing out in the first two games, the 24-year-old from Rajkot rallied brilliantly to claim the third, igniting the home crowd. Poret’s exceptional defensive display throughout ultimately proved decisive, setting up a title clash against South Korea’s Oh Jun-sung.