Bengaluru Paddler Yashaswini Ghorpade Selected for 2026 Asian Games Squad
Bengaluru paddler Yashaswini Ghorpade has been selected for the Indian national squad to compete at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The 21-year-old table tennis player, who will train at the UTT-Skies High Performance Centre in Bengaluru, now has three months to prepare before the tournament begins on September 20 at Sky Hall Toyota.
Yashaswini’s inclusion in the national squad, which was confirmed last week, fulfills an ambition she set at the start of the 2025 season. To prepare for the multi-sport event, she is scheduled to undergo a rigorous competitive routine, starting with the United States Smash this Friday, followed by the Europe Smash in Sweden in August.
She will also compete in the Commonwealth Championships in New Delhi and various national ranking events. These tournaments are intended to provide match practice and build momentum ahead of the Asian Games.
Following her upcoming tournament in the United States, Yashaswini will return to Bengaluru to train under her coach of 14 years, Anshuman Roy, at the UTT-Skies High Performance Centre for approximately three weeks.
Roy stated that while no drastic changes are needed in her game, the training will focus on match tactics alongside physical and mental fitness. To prepare her for the playing styles she will face in Japan, Roy is currently in financial discussions to bring in Malaysian or Korean sparring partners to train with her in Bengaluru. Roy will also travel with her for the national ranking tournaments in August.
Despite her youth, Yashaswini brings international experience to her preparation, having won a silver medal at the WTT Feeder Cappadocia in Turkey in March, and making her debut at the World Team Table Tennis Championship in London during April and May.
"Asian players are always strong in table tennis," Yashaswini said. "With nations like China, Korea, Japan, and others in the fray, I need to be at my best. The ultimate goal will be to achieve glory and make a mark in my first multi-sport event, so these few months are crucial."
