Asian Games
Asian Games 2023: Indian men's table tennis team into quarters, women's team knocked out
India will take on South Korea in the last eight of the tournament today evening in the men's team event.
Indian men's table tennis team defeated Kazakhstan 3-2 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the men’s team event. India will take on South Korea in the last eight of the tournament this evening.
The proceeding started with Sharath Kamal facing Kirill Gerassimenko in the first match but even after the strong fight he lost 8-11, 11-9, 6-11, 8-11. Sathiyan Gnanasekaran was in full control in the second match and edged out Aidos Kenzhigulov comfortably by 14-12, 11-8, 11-4. Harmeet Desai gave a 2-1 lead to India by winning the third match 11-7, 12-10, 11-5 against Alan Kurmangaliyev. Sathiyan Gnanasekaran was defeated by Kirill Gerassimenko 5-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 5-11, and the tie advanced to the fifth match.
In the fifth match, legendary Sharath Kamal won the decider 3-2 (5-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9) to hand an impressive win to India. Sharath Kamal makes a terrific comeback. He loses the first two games against Aidos Kenzhigulov but wins the last three to help the Indian men's team prevail over Kazakhstan in their Round of 16 tie.
Earlier Indian women's table tennis team was eliminated from the Asian Games after a 2-3 loss to Thailand in their Round of 16 clash after star Indian paddler Manika Batra lost both her matches, including the deciding fifth singles match.
World No. 39 Batra first lost the opening match to 104th-ranked Thai player Orawan Paranang 0-3 with the Thai player dominating the proceeding for a 11-7, 11-1, 13-11 win in just 25 minutes. But 26-year-old Ayhika Mukherjee brought India on an even keel, winning the second game 3-1, defeating a much higher-ranked Suthasini Sawettabut 18-16, 11-7, 13-15, 11-9.
Sutirtha Mukherjee then defeated Tamolwan Khetkhuan 3-2 (11-1, 9-11, 3-11, 11-7, 11-7) to give India a 2-1 lead before Paranang overcame a gritty Ayhika 3-2 (10-12, 11-4, 5-11, 11-4, 11-3) to keep her team's hopes alive. In the decider, Suthasini made up for her earlier defeat by beating Batra 3-1 (10-12, 11-8, 11-7, 11-6) to take her team into the quarterfinals.
