Former India paddler S Ramaswamy, 63, called for a separate table tennis doubles tournament in his column in The Afternoon way back in 1999. Twenty-seven years later, his vision is set to become reality, with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) announcing a Doubles World Cup in April 2027.

“It’s a welcome decision. Imagine somebody writing a column 27 years back, and now the ITTF is going to have a separate doubles tournament next year. Doubles should be given more importance because India has an outside chance [of winning] in doubles, while everybody is conserving their energy for singles. If at all we have any chance of a podium finish at the Asian Games or other competitions, it’s in doubles. And we are not concentrating on that. Doubles needs to be given the importance,” Ramaswamy, who represented India at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games and has competed in 30 Senior National Championships in singles and doubles, told mid-day recently.