Singapore Smash: Indian campaign ends as Manav-Manush exit in quarterfinal

The Indian campaign ended at the first WTT Grand Smash of the year as the Indian men's doubles pairing of Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah made a quarterfinal exit in the WTT Singapore Smash at Singapore Sports Hub on Thursday.

The Indian duo missed a big chance of qualifying for their first-ever semifinal at a WTT Grand Smash tournament, losing a tight five-game (2-3) affair to fourth-seeded pair, 11-5, 11-6, 3-11, 5-11, 10-12.

Advantage squandered

Manav and Manush, playing against the French pairing of Florian Bourrassaud and Esteban Dorr, made a brilliant start.

They won the first two games pretty comfortably (11-5, 11-6), showcasing strong aggressive play that the French duo could not negotiate.

But then, they lost composure and tried to finish the match quickly, leading to multiple unforced errors, resulting in a break in their momentum as the French duo levelled the match, winning games three and four.

In the decider, Manav and Manush got yet another golden opportunity when they took a massive 8-4 lead, just three points shy of creating history. But they allowed the French duo to make a comeback and eventually lost the game, 10-12.

What's next?

After this unforgettable week, several Indian paddlers are expected to move back home for the National Games in Uttarakhand, starting from February 9.

But, the main focus of the top Indian paddlers will be on the upcoming ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup tournament in Shenzhen, China from February 19.