India table tennis legend A Sharath Kamal announced on Wednesday that the WTT Contender Chennai later this month will be his last tournament as a professional, capping off an illustrious career spanning well over two decades.
The WTT (World Table Tennis) event will be played in Chennai from March 25 to 30.
"I played my first international tournament in Chennai, I will be playing my last international also in Chennai. This will be my last tournament as a professional athlete," said the 42-year-old in Chennai.
Sharath won as many seven gold medals in the Commonwealth Games along with three silver and three bronze, and he would rate them at par with the two Asian Games bronze medals he secured later in his career.
He took part in his fifth and final Olympics in Paris last year and suffered a shocking opening round exit in the men's singles, losing to Deni Kozul of Slovenia 2-4.
In the team event, he, alongside Harmeet Desai and Manav Thakkar, went down 0-3 to China in the pre-quarter-finals.
"I have Commonwealth Games medals and Asian Games medals. Olympic medal is something I don't have in my cupboard.
"I hope I can live that dream through the younger talent coming," said the world number 42, who is still the highest ranked Indian in the ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) standings.
Sharath was also conferred the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, Padma Shri and Arjuna awards.
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