Payas Jain beats Manav Thakkar to win season-opening National ranking event in Kanpur

On Sunday in Kanpur, Payas Jain defeated Manav Thakkar to win the season-opening National ranking tournament at The Sportz Hub. "Nothing has changed," Payas told The Hindu.

Three weeks earlier he had lost by two points in the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship in New Delhi, and since then he says he concentrated on following a process rather than chasing results. The 21-year-old's victory at the national event was the first major domestic title of the season for him.

Against Thakkar, the reigning National champion and one of India's strongest defensive players, Payas refused to be hurried; he stayed in rallies, waited for opportunities to turn points, and completed passes with precision while showing effective service receiving. Those tactical choices underpinned his win in the final.

“Whether it was my body language, shot-making, strategy or tactics. The fact that everything was intentional reflected on the table. I know how Manav plays. He knows how I play. So, I was prepared for everything,” Payas said. “It was a great match. I actually played well and I was feeling very confident.”

Payas described how his confidence grew after the opening game and how he trusted staying in exchanges until openings appeared. “I knew that Manav was not going to miss so soon and that it was going to be a tough fight,” he said. “I was just ready to be on the table irrespective of whether he was playing with speed or power. Whenever I was getting the chance, I was able to turn and pass.”

He put together a strong domestic season, finished second in the National rankings and is closing in on a place in the world's top 100; he is still awaiting inclusion in the Sports Authority of India’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme list of promising athletes.

Payas is a member of India’s Asian Games squad and said, "The Asian Games is coming up, my main goal is to win a medal for India there."