Bengaluru: Ugadi marks new beginnings, celebrated with colour and cheer. For the Ghorpade family in south Bengaluru’s Basavanagudi, the festivities stretched well beyond the festival — and for good reason.On Saturday, Yashaswini Ghorpade became only the third woman paddler from the state to win the senior National table tennis crown, clinching the title in Indore. She joins an elite list featuring Archana Kamath and Usha Sunderraj.For the 21-year-old, the triumph was both a breakthrough and a reward for persistence after a challenging phase. “The atmosphere at home is festive. Everyone is in a joyous mood,” Yashaswini told TOI after edging past Syndrela Das 4-3 in a gripping final. The victory comes after a difficult 2025, where titles eluded her across both domestic and international circuits. “Last year was disappointing. But this win gives me confidence to prepare better and deliver in upcoming tournaments,” she said.There is little time to celebrate. Yashaswini will next compete at the WTT Contender in Tunisia starting Tuesday, using the national crown as a springboard for a packed season ahead. Her focus is already on three major events in 2026 — the World Team Championships in London (April 28–May 10), the Commonwealth Championships in New Delhi (July 17–21) and the Asian Games in Japan (Sept–Oct).“It’s going to be a big challenge with top players from around the world. The quality will be very high, so I need to improve my game and be better prepared,” she said.Training under coach Anshuman Roy at the UTT-Skies High Performance Centre in the city Yashaswini has shown steady growth. Roy believes she has the tools to succeed at the highest level, but emphasises the need for refinement. “She has a strong backhand, good serves and makes smart decisions during rallies,” Roy said.But there are shortcomings she is working hard on. “Her forehand is an area opponents target at the top level. We’ve been working extensively on that — sometimes dedicating two out of three training hours to it. She also needs to build physical strength and improve fitness to compete consistently against top players,” explained Roy.With a national title finally in hand, Yashaswini’s journey now shifts from promise to expectation.
