Junior Adithya Bhattachar plays competitive table tennis

Rueben Warshawsky
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How did you get started?
I first became interested in playing table tennis in fourth grade when I saw my relatives playing for fun. I convinced my dad to buy a table for our house, and we played together a lot. Also, I saw table tennis on the Olympics and aspired to be somewhat like those players.

Why do you play?
I really enjoy the fast-paced play of table tennis. Also, I enjoy the game because it is cerebral; I have to think every point and use my brain a lot to analyze what the opponent’s next shot will be.

Describe your plans for the future.
I do not play table tennis in order to receive a scholarship to play in college. As far as plans go, I just want to keep getting better.

How do you train?
I practice regularly at the Table Tennis Club of Indianapolis. My coach instructs me on my strokes, footwork, and mobility.

Describe the atmosphere of a typical Table Tennis match.
Most of the matches I play are part of a larger tournament. Approximately 15 tables are set up, which does not allow much room for fans to watch. Despite that, matches involve intense concentration and focus.

What table tennis opportunities does CHS offer?
Right now, there are no table tennis opportunities. Intramural was dropped because of a lack of interest. Then, a club was started, but it also failed because of a lack of interest. 

Where do you rank among table tennis players?
At the club that I practice at, I am between mid-level to just above mid-level.

What is your most memorable experience?
My most memorable experience was when I played in a tournament held at Navy Pier. It was a minor Junior Events U.S. Open tournament. I enjoyed it because I was able to see world-class Chinese and Korean teams who were also attending the tournament.

What is a hard match in your opinion ?
I have played many tough opponents, but my hardest match would be when my opponent beat me the first two games pretty soundly. Then, I had to come back and win the remaining three. I won the tie-breaker by a score of 17-15.