Manav Thakkar (Men’s Singles No. 34) stunned Simon Gauzy (No. 17) 3-2 in the first round of WTT Champions Doha 2026.
Thakkar advances to the Round of 16 in his second-ever WTT Champions event. He entered this event as a replacement for Jonathan Groth (No. 24), who withdrew from WTT Champions Doha 2026 due to injury.
Thakkar took the first game of this match (11-8) before Gauzy jumped to a 2-1 lead (7-11, 9-11). Thakkar then tied the score at two games apiece (11-7) before taking the pivotal fifth game (11-8) to move on to the second round.
This is the second time Thakkar has advanced in a WTT Champions event, following his upset over Tomislav Pucar (No. ) in WTT Champions Frankfurt 2025. He had been playing in his first WTT Champions event before he contracted an illness that caused him to withdraw.
Thakkar defeated Gauzy, a WTT Finals Hong Kong 2025 participant, for the first time in his career. Prior to that event, Gauzy won WTT Feeder Otocec II 2025 and reached the semifinals of WTT Europe Smash 2025.
Thakkar will face Truls Moregard (No. 5) in the Round of 16 on Thursday. WTT Champions Doha 2026 will run until Sunday.
