"Not expecting a smooth transition, but am on the right track" - Paddler Suhana Saini looks to break into senior ranks with eye on LA 2028 [Exclusive]

For Suhana Saini, who has blazed her way through the ITTF and WTT youth events over the last several years, taking the big leap into the senior ranks promises to be an exciting challenge. After a comeback from an injury sustained at the beginning of the year, Suhana excelled in a state-level tournament in Haryana recently after having competed in WTT events in Manchester, Muscat and Chennai.

While representing India at LA 2028 is Suhana's big dream, the youngster is candid enough to acknowledge that she is not expecting a smooth transition to the senior level, not least because she plays with plain rubbers.

Regardless of the hurdles, the 19-year-old told Sportskeeda during an exclusive interaction that she is on the right track despite needing to close the gap with the ever-so-consistent Chinese and Japanese paddlers.

"I am definitely not expecting a smooth transition to the senior level since I am a player with plain rubbers. It's going to be difficult for me because I don't have the edge that Asian players who have mastered this game do," Suhana reasoned. "We are taking the right steps, but suppose I wouldn't be as consistent as the Japanese or the Chinese currently. Consistency is still lacking, and I am working on it. I am not expecting a smooth transition, but I am on the right track. There will be bigger challenges ahead, but I think I am on the right track and I will make it," the Haryana girl reckoned.

Suhana Saini believes destiny will play a role in earning her a berth for the LA Olympics, even as she aims to give it her all at the senior level in 2026.

"Representing India at the Olympics is my dream. It has always been the big dream. I am working towards it, and for sure I will play for my country at the Olympics. In 2026, I need to focus on doing well in the senior category. If luck is on my side and if it is destined, for sure I will be playing at the LA Olympics," the teenage champion predicted.

Back in 2021, Suhana Saini scripted some history of her own by winning three medals in the ITTF Youth World Championships in Portugal. A team bronze for India in the U-15 category, one in the girls' U-15 singles and yet another in the U-15 women's doubles made the Vila Nova de Gaia sojourn pretty special.

"At the 2021 World Youth Championships, I won 3 bronze medals in a single tournament. Getting 3 medals in one tournament at the World Championships was pretty special to me," she reminisced.

Playing alongside Yashasvini Ghorpade has been special for Suhana Saini, with the duo having earned accolades for India while playing doubles at the world level.

"I became World No. 1 partnering Yashasvini Ghorpade. Yashasvini is definitely my all-time favourite. We have played an enormous number of matches together in the WTT Youth Contenders and also at the national level," Suhana Saini remarked.

For a player who has made it a habit to win big on the international stage, the post-injury 2025 season has been disappointing. Suhana is, however, clawing her way back after rehab.

"My performance this season has not been up to my expectations because I faced an injury at the start of this year. Because of the injury, I had to take a complete break, and just focus on my rehab for at least a month. I then had to take it very slowly. It took me around 2 months to come back," she explained.

Suhana Saini is justifiably proud of her performance at the WTT Contender event in Muscat earlier this year having defeated Swiss Olympian paddler Rachel Moret in the final round of the qualifiers.

"I qualified from the qualifying rounds in Muscat. I won 2 matches against players who were in the top 150 (Hana Arapovic). I beat another very experienced player from Switzerland (Rachel Moret). I beat her very comfortably before losing in the round of 32. It was a pretty good experience," Suhana Saini stated.

I have always idolised Manika Batra and Sharath Kamal - Suhana Saini

Suhana Saini at the WTT World Youth Contender podium in Rio - Source: SAI Media on X

Suhana Saini who attended Sharath Kamal's farewell in Chennai during the WTT event in the city earlier this year has always looked up to the Indian legend while also idolising Manika Batra.

Notably, she has followed the progress of the current WTT World No. 3 and Brazilian champion Hugo Calderano even before he made a name for himself at the highest level.

"I have always idolised Manika Didi (Manika Batra) for sure. Since childhood, I have been following her and Sharath Bhaiya (Sharath Kamal). They have always been greatest idols," Suhana Saini disclosed. "But I also follow Hugo Calderano. He is very famous now. But I have been following him since his early days. He was not famous at the time. He is very different from every other player, the way he works on himself in terms of fitness and everything else," she observed.

Table tennis is in Suhana's blood, so to speak, with both her parents having played the game. Suhana's mother who runs a table tennis academy saw to it that her daughter picked up a racquet at the age of four.

"My parents have both played table tennis professionally. They couldn't perform at the highest level, but they represented Haryana State in the Nationals. So, for my mom and dad getting me to play the sport was a dream. I started playing at a very early age from when I was 4 or 5," Suhana affirmed. "Back then I was not interested and a bit lazy," she recalls breaking into a laugh. "The kids with whom I used to practice were winning tournaments, and so they got to miss school and that got me interested. I was like, they are getting holidays and I am left alone at school. I first dreamt of playing for India when I became the U-12 national champion back in 2016."

Suhana admits to feeling pressured at times in the process of having to balance academics and table tennis but credits her parents for standing by her through thick and thin.

"Of course, I feel pressured. There are days when you just feel everything is getting so tough and out of hand. You are not able to study properly and you also strike a low in your game. But I think it's my parents who helped me and I had good help from my school as well. I never actually faced any issue because I was a studious child," Suhana stated. "I was able to balance my studying and playing at the same time because I used to study little by little everyday," she added. "My biggest supporters are my parents, my friends and my coach who I train with in AVSC Hyderabad. Welspun have been supporting me for over a year now."

Suhana Saini's message to kids who wish to pursue table tennis as a career is just as succint as it is inspiring.

"Kids should start playing table tennis at the age of 5, at least, because to build that foundation is very important. In India, everybody has this mindset that there are no jobs. There is no bigger job than representing your country or being proud when you are winning," said the young achiever. "Studies can be done together (with the sport) as well. If you have good time management, it is very easy for you to manage. Even if not table tennis, any sport should be compulsory," she asserted.

After having cornered glory all through her teens, Suhana Saini will now attempt to replicate her incredible success at the senior level. Given the grit and determination that she so passionately amalgamates with her unmistakable skill, it would take a lot to stop the young marvel from soaring to greater heights.

Edited by Subhashish Majumdar