Tokyo Olympics: Table Tennis LIVE Day 4, July 27 — Can Sharath Kamal bloom against Ma Long? — Updates, scores, results, blog

Forehand galore

Sharath is known for his fluid backhand, forehand today seems to make the cut.

Sharath looks pumped, leads 5-3

Quality rallies: Long takes Set 1

Even as the players find their rhythm, the match already treats fans with some grueling rallies.

Long wins 11-7. The scorecard doesn't do justice to how Sharath is playing, however.

Early days at the "Long" shot

Sharath counters Ma Long's smash to the open forehand corner, plays an awkward body shot to score, all seem too little at the moment.

Long leads 5-3

Players on table

India's poster boy Sharath kamal and the defending champion Ma Long makes their way to the table

Ma Long wins the toss and chooses his side of the table

About time

The match scheduled before Sharath v/s Ma Long on the same table just concluded.

After a slight delay, the much-awaited round 3 will begin soon

Stay tuned..

Know the opponent : Ma Long

Ma Long is considered to be the G.O.A.T in table tennis (greatest of all time) due to the fact that he has 3 Olympics Gold, 12 World Championship titles, and 9 World Cups attached to his name along with 2 silver medals and 6 bronze at World level tournaments.

Currently ranked 3rd in the world, he is nicknamed "The Dictator" and "The Dragon" Read further on today's match preview here

Match Day: An uphill task awaits Sharath Kamal in Round 3

Sharath Kamal did astoundingly well yesterday to brush aside the Portuguese challenge from Tiago Apolonia to become the first Indian man to reach Olympics Round 3 in Table Tennis

Tuesday, however, is an uphill battle, as Sharath takes on the "The Dragon himself" China's Ma Long