Table Tennis Olympic Qualification Live Updates: Sutirtha Mukherjee, Sharath Kamal, and G Sathiyan qualify for Tokyo Olympics
Manika Batra vs Sutirtha Mukherjee starts!
The all-important match at the Asian Olympic Qualification tournament is underway. Winner to qualify for Tokyo Olympics!
In women's singles, only 2 entries were received from South Asia. Thus, India is already assured of one quota as it will go to one of these 2 ladies.
Sharath Kamal is going to the Olympics for 4th time.
With the win against Pakistan, it is almost certain that he will go through as the highest-ranked reserve player even if Sathiyan wins later today.
Congratulations, Sharath!
Sharath Kamal beats Pakistan opponent 4-0
A straight games win (4-0) for Sharath Kamal as he beats Pakistan's Rameez Muhammad 11-4, 11-1, 11-5, 11-4.
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran to play Rameez at 10 PM IST and if Sathiyan wins, he books a spot in Tokyo Olympics. However, not all is lost for Sharath Kamal as he can still make it as the highest-ranked player in the reserves list which will be decided according to the ITTF Olympic Qualification Ranking Lists in April.
We will be back at 10 PM IST.
Sharath Kamal is up 3-0
No contest for Sharath Kamal as he goes 3-0 (11-4, 11-1, 11-5) up against his opponent from Pakistan Rameez Muhammad in the second match of his group at the Olympic Qualification — Asian leg in Doha.
Sathiyan beats Sharath, one step away from Tokyo Olympics.
FINAL SCORE: Sathiyan Gnanasekaran vs Sharath Kamal — 11-9, 15-13, 5-11, 7-11, 10-12, 11-9, 11-8.
It was looking as if Sharath will go on to win this game but Sathiyan turned things around to take the last two games and win 4-3.
He wins this crucial encounter when it mattered the most. If Sathiyan wins against Rameez Muhammad in the third round, he is going to Tokyo Olympics. However, however if he loses Sharath will still have a chance if he wins the second round against Rameez.
The winner of this group will qualify today for the Olympics. and the runner-up will be on the reserves list. In that case, the second-best player has to wait for the ITTF Olympic Qualification Ranking lists which will be out in April.
We will back at 5 PM IST with live coverage when Sharath Kamal will play against Rameez Muhammad. Till then follow The Bridge.
3-3 now! Over to the last game.
Sathiyan wins the sixth game 11-9 to make it three-all.
The match is down to the wire. Whoever wins the last game will have one foot to board the flight in July.
SCORE: Sathiyan Gnanasekaran vs Sharath Kamal — 11-9, 15-13, 5-11, 7-11, 10-12, 11-9
Sharath Kamal wins three games in a row to make it 3-2
Sharath Kamal comes back from two games down to make it 3-2.
SCORE: Sathiyan Gnanasekaran vs Sharath Kamal — 11-9, 15-13, 5-11, 7-11, 10-12
Sharath wins the fourth game as well
It's 2-2 now. Sharath Kamal wins the fourth game 11-7.
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran vs Sharath Kamal — 11-9, 15-13, 5-11, 7-11.
Three games to go.
How does the qualification process look like?
The Asian Olympic Qualification Table Tennis Tournament carries Tokyo 2020 berths in the singles and mixed doubles events. In both men’s and women’s singles event, there will be six qualification spots, respectively.
The players in the draw will be based on a regional basis - Southeast Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, and East Asia. The group encounter will happen in a round-robin format from where the winner from each group will qualify for Tokyo Olympics. The runner-up in each group will be on the reserves list. Once the five group winners are announced, the sixth spot will be given to the highest-ranked player in the reserves list, to be decided according to the ITTF Olympic Qualification Ranking Lists in April.
In the mixed doubles, there is only one Tokyo spot up for grabs, which will be decided by the winner of a knockout tournament, with the runners-up being the reserve pair.
Sharath Kamal takes the third game
Sharath Kamal claws back to the game with a 11-5 win in the third game.
2-1 so far. Sathiyan to serve fourth game.