Syndrela Das Sutirtha Mukherjee Reach WTT Almaty Final After Stunning Top Seeds
Syndrela Das Sutirtha Mukherjee Reach WTT Almaty Final
Syndrela Das Sutirtha Mukherjee produced a major upset at the WTT Contender Almaty 2026, defeating top-seeded compatriots Diya Chitale and Yashaswini Ghorpade 3-1 to reach the women’s doubles final.
The third-seeded Indian pair won the semifinal 11-6, 12-10, 8-11, 11-6 in 33 minutes, overturning the advantage held by the tournament’s No. 1 seeds. The result ensured that India would have representation in the women’s doubles title clash in Almaty.
Syndrela Das Sutirtha Mukherjee Stun India’s Top Seeds
The semifinal began with Das and Mukherjee immediately taking control.
They claimed the opening game 11-6 before edging a much tighter second game 12-10. Chitale and Ghorpade responded in the third, winning it 11-8 and reducing the deficit.
But the comeback did not materialise.
Das and Mukherjee regained their composure in the fourth game and produced a decisive 11-6 finish. With that, the third seeds completed a 3-1 victory over the top-ranked Indian combination and secured their place in the final.
Syndrela Das Sutirtha Mukherjee Keep Their Nerve
The victory was built on the Indian pair’s ability to stay composed during the crucial stages.
After losing the third game, Das and Mukherjee did not allow the momentum to shift completely towards their opponents. Instead, they returned strongly in the fourth game and closed out the match without allowing Chitale and Ghorpade to force a deciding game.
For a pair facing the tournament’s top seeds, that response proved decisive.
Indian Pair’s Road to the WTT Almaty Final
Das and Mukherjee had already shown their strength earlier in the tournament.
In the quarterfinals, the Indian duo defeated Kazakhstan’s Darya Fu and Mariya Lukyanova 3-1. That victory set up an all-Indian semifinal against Chitale and Ghorpade.
The result against the top seeds made their run even more impressive. Instead of simply progressing through a favourable draw, the third seeds had to overcome one of the strongest combinations in the competition to earn their place in the summit clash.
The WTT Contender Almaty was being held at the Table Tennis Centre ADD in Almaty, Kazakhstan, as part of the 2026 WTT Contender Series.
Japan Awaits in the WTT Almaty Final
The Indian pair’s final challenge was set to come against Japan’s Miu Hirano and Miyuu Kihara.
The Japanese duo reached the final after defeating Maria Tailakova and Ekaterina Zironova 3-0 in their semifinal. That made the summit clash an India-Japan contest for the women’s doubles title.
The final was scheduled for September 6 in Almaty. Das and Mukherjee entered the match with the confidence of having already eliminated the tournament’s top seeds.
However, the Japanese combination ultimately proved too strong, winning the final 3-0. Das and Mukherjee finished runners-up after a 2-11, 5-11, 18-20 defeat.
A Significant Result for Indian Table Tennis
Despite missing out on the title, reaching the final represented an important result for the Indian pair.
Das and Mukherjee had entered the event as the third seeds and went on to eliminate the No. 1 seeds in the semifinals. Their run also ensured India had a strong presence in the latter stages of the women’s doubles competition.
For Syndrela Das in particular, the performance adds to her growing profile in Indian table tennis. She is also part of India’s women’s squad for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan and has been included in the TOPS Development Programme.
The Almaty campaign therefore offered valuable experience against high-quality international opposition and another encouraging step for the Indian duo on the WTT circuit.
