Coming off a season where he collected championships at nearly every level he entered, Sid Naresh has quickly emerged as one of the brightest young stars in American table tennis. From powering his team to the MLTT Season 2 title to claiming NCTTA team and doubles crowns, making a deep run at the U.S. Nationals, and reaching the quarterfinals at the World University Games, Naresh’s 2024–25 campaign was a nonstop showcase of skill, composure, and growth. Now preparing for his first season with the Portland Paddlers, he sat down with Sean O’Neill to reflect on his breakout year, share lessons learned from competing on the sport’s biggest stages, and look ahead to the challenges and opportunities that await.

Your team’s MLTT Season 2 championship run was outstanding. What moments from the season stand out most for you?
The home match in Charlotte was amazing and really gave us the motivation and confidence going into the end of the season and the start of the playoffs. The atmosphere in the stadium was unbelievable and we had a ton of fun playing in front of our home crowd.

What helped your team find the edge to win it all, especially under pressure?
I think our team’s depth was crucial to our success in the regular season as well as the playoffs. If someone wasn’t playing their best, someone else would always step up. For example, the first weekend, Aida wasn’t playing his best but Enzo played unbelievably. But then in one of the following weekends, when Enzo wasn’t playing amazing, Aida went 9-0 in his singles games. Someone was always able to step up in crucial moments.

Was there a specific match, moment, or turning point that made you believe the title was truly within reach?
After our third weekend of matches I really felt like we had a good shot of winning the championship. Going undefeated in the first half really showed that we could consistently play at a high level as a team.

You captured both the NCTTA team and doubles titles this year. How did that success fuel your confidence heading into MLTT and international events?
It definitely boosted my confidence a lot, especially with my doubles with Nikhil as we had really good results at the NCTTA championships.

What’s the biggest difference between college-level team play and a league like MLTT?
At the NCTTA level I can get away with playing a little passive or too soft, but in MLTT, especially against the more experienced players, I’ve realized that any weakness is taken advantage of. I really need to keep my quality high every point.

What were your key takeaways from the U.S. Nationals this year?
One of the key takeaways from Nationals is that I have to improve my short game. Zhang Xiang Jing dominated me in short-short. I would give a weak flip instead of dropping short due to my lack of confidence in my short push, so I’ll definitely be working on the re-drop.

Were there any matches or opponents that helped you grow the most during the tournament?
My quarterfinal match with Zhang Xiang Jing was the one I learned the most from. Playing someone at his level is always beneficial for my game. As they say, "iron sharpens iron."

Making the quarterfinals at the World University Games is no small feat. How did it feel to test your game against top international student-athletes?
The whole World University Games experience was amazing. From the opening ceremony to watching other sports, I enjoyed every second. Having a great result in singles made the experience even better. I’m coming back with a lot of confidence after some great wins.

What did you discover about your mindset or game during that high-level international competition?
Going into my matches against the Chinese and Japanese players, I didn’t have high expectations. That helped me play more freely. I saw every match as an opportunity to challenge myself.

You’re now heading to the Portland Paddlers for the next MLTT season. What are your initial thoughts on the trade?
I’m super excited to be a Paddler. Wang Wei is an amazing player, so being traded for him gave me some confidence. I’m looking forward to playing alongside Nikhil and all my new teammates. I hope I can contribute to Portland’s success.

How are you preparing to build chemistry with new teammates and possibly new doubles partners?
The first matches of the season are always going to be experimental with new doubles pairings, so I’m looking forward to seeing how those go.

Anyone on the Paddlers you’re especially excited to play alongside or learn from?
It’s so hard to choose just one player, but if I had to, I’d say Hampus because of his experience and knowledge of the game. I hope he can teach me a few of his tricks.

MLTT is set to move to an open serve rule next season. What are your thoughts on how that will impact the league?
I think the Open Serve rule in doubles is a really innovative idea and one of the reasons MLTT is so exciting. As for how it will affect gameplay, I’m not sure yet, but the first few matches will definitely be exciting.

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Do you think the open serve favors aggressive players like yourself, or does it change the balance in a different way?
I think servers will now have the advantage. Before, the receivers had the edge, especially if they had a good banana flip. Now we may see a lot more third-ball openings from underspin.

How do you juggle MLTT, NCTTA, Nationals, and international play without burning out?
I always have goals and I love table tennis. Every MLTT match, every tournament, every chance to play high-level table tennis is a joy. I love competing. The anticipation before a big match and the thrill of competing are unmatched.

What has been your biggest improvement in the past year—technically, mentally, or physically?
My overall quality has gone up a lot, especially with my forehand loop and my backhand loop against underspin.

Who keeps you grounded or inspired when things get intense during the season?
Definitely my parents. They watch all of my matches. Win or lose, I know they’re always by my side. They’re the best!

What are your goals for this next MLTT season and beyond?
I’m hoping to find my role on the team and learn a lot from my teammates. I’m also playing more WTT and ITTF tournaments, and I hope I can continue winning matches and competing with the best in the world.

What advice would you give to young players who want to follow your path?
Footwork training is so important, especially when you’re young. That’s why China, Japan, and Korea consistently develop top-level players—they’re unbelievably fast. The easiest way to improve footwork is through multiball.

Rapid Fire: MLTT Edition

Favorite MLTT venue to compete? Charlotte

Toughest opponent this year? Harimoto

Go-to pre-match music? I don’t really listen to music before matches

Doubles partner in a deciding match? Nikhil Kumar

Post-match meal of choice? Hot Pot

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