India's Manush Shah and Diya Chitale have scripted history at the WTT China Smash 2026 in Beijing, becoming the first Indian mixed doubles pair to reach the semifinal of a WTT Grand Smash.
The fifth-seeded Indian combination defeated Romania's Eduard Ionescu and Bernadette Szocs 11-9, 13-11, 11-3 in the quarterfinals to seal their place in the last four.
Revenge, served in straight games
The victory carried extra weight. The same Romanian pair had beaten Shah and Chitale 3-0 last year, and the Indians turned the tables completely this time. After edging a tight opener 11-9 and surviving a dramatic second game 13-11, the Indian duo raced through the decider 11-3.
It was their second straight-games win of the tournament, following a Round of 16 victory over Egypt's Youssef Abdelaziz and Mariam Alhodaby — meaning India reached the quarterfinals without dropping a game.
Taiwan test awaits
Waiting in the semifinal are Taiwan's Lin Yun-Ju and Cheng I-Ching, a seventh-seeded pair with deep experience at the highest level of the sport. Lin is known for a razor-sharp backhand, while Cheng brings years of mixed doubles nous.
The breakthrough follows the pair's bronze medal at the 2026 Asian Games, and it underlines how quickly the partnership has matured. Grand Smashes sit at the very top of the WTT tournament structure, drawing the strongest fields in international table tennis.
Indian table tennis has produced Grand Smash semifinalists in men's doubles before, but mixed doubles had remained an unconquered frontier — until now.
Sources:
IndiaSportsHub: Manush Shah and Diya Chitale make history at WTT China Smash 2026
The fifth-seeded Indian combination defeated Romania's Eduard Ionescu and Bernadette Szocs 11-9, 13-11, 11-3 in the quarterfinals to seal their place in the last four.
Revenge, served in straight games
The victory carried extra weight. The same Romanian pair had beaten Shah and Chitale 3-0 last year, and the Indians turned the tables completely this time. After edging a tight opener 11-9 and surviving a dramatic second game 13-11, the Indian duo raced through the decider 11-3.
It was their second straight-games win of the tournament, following a Round of 16 victory over Egypt's Youssef Abdelaziz and Mariam Alhodaby — meaning India reached the quarterfinals without dropping a game.
Taiwan test awaits
Waiting in the semifinal are Taiwan's Lin Yun-Ju and Cheng I-Ching, a seventh-seeded pair with deep experience at the highest level of the sport. Lin is known for a razor-sharp backhand, while Cheng brings years of mixed doubles nous.
The breakthrough follows the pair's bronze medal at the 2026 Asian Games, and it underlines how quickly the partnership has matured. Grand Smashes sit at the very top of the WTT tournament structure, drawing the strongest fields in international table tennis.
Indian table tennis has produced Grand Smash semifinalists in men's doubles before, but mixed doubles had remained an unconquered frontier — until now.
Sources:
IndiaSportsHub: Manush Shah and Diya Chitale make history at WTT China Smash 2026
