Table Tennis
Sharath Kamal, Sathiyan advance to singles quarters at National Ranking TT C'ships
Veteran Achanta Sharath Kamal and G Sathiyan advance to the men's singles quarterfinals at the 4th UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships, in the women's category, top seeds Sreeja Akula and Archana Kamath secure their spots in the next round.
FILE PHOTO: Achanta Sharath Kamal takes India through to the quarterfinals at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023.
Veteran table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal and his compatriot G Sathiyan secured their spots in the men's singles quarterfinals of the 4th UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships on Friday.
The top seed, Manav Thakkar, dominated his match by defeating Yashansh Malik of Delhi with a flawless 3-0 victory. However, the journey for the second seed, Sathiyan, and the sixth-seeded Sharath was far from easy, as they both faced resilient opponents in Raj Mondal of RBI and Akash Pal of the Railways, respectively. Despite the tough competition, both Sathiyan and Sharath emerged victorious, securing their places in the next round with identical 3-2 margins.
Sourav Saha of PSPB showcased his tenacity in a hard-fought pre-quarterfinal battle, overcoming the third seed Snehit of AAI with a 3-2 victory. Meanwhile, Anthony Amalraj triumphed over the fourth-seeded Manush Shah with a 3-1 score.
In another closely contested match, India international Sanil Shetty faced a tough challenge from Ronit Bhanja of the Railways, ultimately succumbing to a 3-2 defeat. Sharath Kamal demonstrated his resilience after being down 0-2 against Akash Pal. Drawing upon his vast experience, Sharath staged a comeback, winning the last two extended games despite stiff resistance. The fast-paced match featured numerous intense rallies, with Sharath emerging victorious.
Sathiyan, the second seed, found himself trailing 0-2 but managed to turn the tide, putting enormous pressure on Raj Mondal. Sathiyan's strategic play paid off as he subdued his RBI rival, securing a spot in the quarterfinals.
In the women's category, the sixth and seventh seeds, Moumita Datta and Swastika Ghosh, faced early exits in the pre-quarterfinals, each losing 2-3 to Yashini Sivashankar of Tamil Nadu and Anusha Kutumbale of the Railways, respectively. However, the top seeds Sreeja Akula and Archana Kamath, the recent National Ranking title winner in Vadodara, sailed through their matches, advancing to the next stage of the championships.
