Zhou Qihao and De Nodrest Score Upsets at WTT Star Contender Doha

In a thrilling start to the main draw of the WTT Star Contender Doha 2026, several unexpected outcomes unfolded at the Lusail Sports Hall on March 15, 2026. The opening rounds of the tournament, part of the 31st Qatar Table Tennis Championships Series, showcased remarkable performances, particularly from players who were not favored to win.

Among the standout matches, China’s Zhou Qihao, ranked World No.36, achieved a stunning comeback against India’s Manav Thakkar, currently World No.33. Zhou secured victory with a score of 8-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 after trailing two games. Thakkar began strong, dominating the first two games, but Zhou turned the tide by taking an 8-1 lead in the third, ultimately winning three consecutive games to complete his comeback.

French Qualifier Shines

Another significant upset occurred when French qualifier Leo De Nodrest defeated Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting, ranked World No.42, in a gripping five-game match. De Nodrest triumphed with a scoreline of 17-15, 4-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9, marking a major highlight of the tournament.

The surprises continued in the men’s doubles category, where South Korea’s duo An Jaehyun and Lim Jonghoon were eliminated by Chinese pair Xu Yingbin and Chen Junsong in straight games, ending with scores of 11-8, 16-14, 11-9. In the women’s doubles, Indian qualifiers Manika Batra and Diya Chitale nearly achieved an upset against Japan’s Sakura Yokoi and Satsuki Odo, but ultimately lost in five games, 12-10, 13-11, 13-15, 7-11, 11-1.

Qatar’s Players Face Tough Challenges

Hosts Qatar faced a challenging day, as all local players were eliminated in the opening rounds. Wildcard Rokaia Elbaz put up a fight in the women’s singles but fell to Hong Kong’s Doo Hoi Kem with a score of 1-3. Meanwhile, top-ranked Qatari player Aia Mohamed was defeated 0-3 by fellow wildcard Yoo Yerin.

In the men’s singles, Mohammed Abdulwahhab lost 0-3 to China’s Xue Fei, while Sultan Al Kuwari was also eliminated with a 0-3 defeat to Portuguese qualifier Joao Geraldo. The doubles competitions saw Mohammed and Abdullah Abdulwahhab swept 0-3 by Wong Chun Ting and Chan Baldwin from Hong Kong. Similarly, Ahmed Korani and Sultan Al Kuwari fell 0-3 to Florian Bourrassaud and Lilian Bardet.

Mixed doubles pairs Sultan Al Kuwari and Rokaia Elbaz, along with Mohammed Abdulwahhab and Aia Mohamed, also faced straight game defeats against Chinese pairs Chen Yuanyu and Kuai Man, and Pang Koen and Zeng Jian, respectively.

The tournament continues today as the top seeds enter the competition in both men’s and women’s singles, promising to escalate the excitement at this prestigious event, organized by the Qatar Table Tennis Association and World Table Tennis.