TT Olympic qualifiers: Sathiyan-Manika lose in quarterfinals, to get another shot at Paris quota
Sathiyan and Manika lost in the quarterfinals of knockout at the World Mixed Doubles Olympic qualification and now have another chance at the Olympic quota on Friday.
Manika and Sathiyan toiled hard for 40 minutes before eking out a 6-11 11-8 8-11 11-7 11-8 win over the English pair.
Eighth-seeded Indian pair Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Manika Batra failed to secure a Paris 2024 quota from the World Mixed Doubles Table Tennis Olympic Qualification tournament in Havirov as they went down to the North Korean pair Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong in the quarter-finals, on Thursday.
The 21st-seeded North Korean pair defeated the Indian pair 4-1 (7-11, 10-12, 11-9, 6-11, 6-11). Although Sathiyan and Manika lost in the quarter-finals, they now have another chance at the Olympic quota on Friday.
In Knockout 1, G Sathiyan and Manika Batra had to secure four consecutive victories to claim their bracket and secure a mixed doubles Olympic quota for India on the competition's opening day.
However, their journey hit a roadblock in the quarter-finals, a match marked by their fluctuating performance, swinging between aggression and passivity within moments. Any misstep in their aggressive play instantly led them to retreat into a defensive stance.
In contrast, the Sik and Yong duo exhibited relentless aggression from the outset, with Sik's assertive approach shining through, especially with his offensive forehand strokes, which proved decisive in North Korea's victory. Despite this setback, the Indian pair will have another shot at success on Friday.
On the following day, the remaining 24 pairs will be split into two groups of 12 based on their performance from the first day. Sathiyan and Manika must emerge victorious in their group to secure a coveted spot in the Paris Olympics.