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When Manav Thakkar competed in the 2023 edition of the WTT Contender Lagos, he never imagined what would happen and despite his elimination in the round of 16, the tournament marked the beginning of his rise in the world rankings.
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Already registered for the 2024 edition of the first WTT Series in Sub-Saharan Africa, the 24-year-old is eagerly seeking another fortune to smile upon him in the commercial nerve center of Nigeria, when the tournament concludes on June 19 at 23 at the Molade Okoya- Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.
“As of today, I am ranked 59th in the world, but last year I was 140th before the WTT Contender Lagos 2023 and Lagos was the first event where I reached the round of 16 after winning against older players. ranking. Apart from my ranking, my level improved… so this year I also have high hopes of doing well,” he said.
The former Under-21 World No. 1 star described his first experience in Lagos as one of the best moments of his career, particularly in terms of the massive support from the Lagos fans. “The experience compared to other tournaments was very good for me. I enjoyed the food in Lagos. There were many varieties and I also received a lot of support from people when I played the matches. These were the most important things that helped me do well at the event last year.
“The unique thing about the event in Lagos is the food and the people. There is a bit of traffic in Lagos and there is also traffic in India, so I am used to it. People cheered for each player during the matches and we players enjoyed playing compared to other events and the food in terms of breakfast, lunch and dinner. I remember the hotel used to offer us a special Indian dish every day and the people were very friendly and helpful in Lagos,” Thakkar added.
For this year, Thakkar is optimistic about surpassing his last-16 feat of 2023. “My expectation this year is to win a medal in singles and doubles as well as mixed doubles. “I am very excited and looking forward to playing in the Lagos event,” said the right-handed grip star.
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