WTT Champions Macao 2026 Results: Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar Fall to Top European Opponents

In the WTT Champions Macao 2026 tournament, India's rising talents Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar were eliminated early after losses to strong European and Japanese opponents. Manush Shah fell 0-3 to Swedish player Anton Kallberg with scores of 10-12, 5-11, and 6-11. The match showed Manush had a competitive start when both players fought to 10-10 in the first game, but he couldn't maintain his level as the Swedish opponent won three straight games. Meanwhile, Manav Thakkar suffered a 1-3 defeat to French player Alexis Lebrun, the sixth seed of the tournament. Manav lost 12-14, 4-11 before winning 11-9 in the third game. However, he couldn't sustain the momentum and lost 3-11 in the deciding game. The losses for the Indian players came amid their impressive form in men's doubles. The pair of Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar currently ranks third in the world in men's doubles, creating a stark contrast with their singles performance. At WTT Contender Almaty 2026, Manush Shah also lost to Russian player Denis Ivonin. Meanwhile, Manav Thakkar suffered a defeat to top Japanese player Harimoto Tomokazu. These results show that Indian players still struggle when facing the world's top opponents in men's singles, even though they've proven their ability in doubles. The loss to Anton Kallberg reveals issues with mental recovery after missing opportunities in close games. With their confirmed participation in the 2026 Asian Games in Hangzhou, the two Indian players need significant improvement in singles performance if they want to compete for medals at Asia's largest multi-sport event this year.