Star paddler Harmeet Desai is confident of India's table tennis team's ability to defeat top rivals at the Paris Olympics, citing strong preparation and past victories, as they gear up for exciting campaigns against China and Romania.

New Delhi: Star paddler Harmeet Desai is full of confidence about the Indian team's prospects at the Paris Olympics, after playing a pivotal role in helping India win gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 and 2022. Desai firmly believes that the Indian team has the ability to beat any opponent, gearing up for a top performance in the French capital.

Earlier this year, the Indian table tennis team created history by qualifying both the men's and women's teams for the Olympics for the first time. The preparatory camps held in Bengaluru from June 7-16 and Saarbrucken in Germany earlier this month have focused on perfecting the team composition for the Paris Olympics scheduled from July 26 to August 11.

“One day, I think we have a really good chance to beat any team. We have won against the top teams in the world before and if we give our best we can do it this time too. In the Olympics, if all three of us can perform at our best, anything is possible,” the 31-year-old said in an interview with Ultimate Table Tennis.

Desai joins Achanta Sharath Kamal, Manav Thakkar, and Sathian Gnanasekaran as part of a strong Indian men's table tennis team. Along with team events, Desai will also compete in individual events.

The confidence of the Indian men's team at the 2018 Asian Games has been buoyed by a stunning quarter-final win over powerhouse Japan to clinch the bronze medal.

Reflecting on the growth of Indian table tennis at the global level, Desai credited the various initiatives of the central government and the launch of Ultimate Table Tennis in 2017 for making significant strides in the development of the sport.

“UTT has helped us gain more experience and exposure playing with international players and guidance from foreign coaches. This was not the case before 2017. So, this kind of experience has helped the players build more confidence and perform well in the international arena,” he said.

The Indian men's team is all set for a thrilling opening round against China, while the women's team will begin their campaign against Romania. Individual competitions will be held from July 27 to August 4, followed by team competitions from August 5 to 10.

After the Paris Olympics, India's representatives from the Games and the country's upcoming talent will rub shoulders at the Indian Oil Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 in Chennai from August 22 to September 7.