Syndrela, Divyanshi reach Asian Youth TT Championships Doubles final

India added two more assured medals at the ITTF-ATTU Asian Youth Table Tennis Championships in Bangkok on Friday, with Syndrela Das and Divyanshi Bhowmick reaching the U-19 girls' doubles final and Syndrela advancing to the singles semifinals.

The Indian pair produced a spirited comeback to defeat China's Yao Ruixuan and Jiang Yiyi 7-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 11-6 in the doubles semifinals. After twice trailing by a game, Syndrela and Divyanshi held their nerve in the decider to book a place in the title clash against Japan's Aoba Takahashi and Misuzu Takeya.

The finalists had earlier assured themselves of a medal by overcoming Thailand's Thasita Kanaphong and Pimmada Thongnak 11-6, 13-15, 11-9, 11-8 in the quarterfinals.

Syndrela also guarantees singles bronze

Syndrela continued her impressive run in the U-19 girls' singles, defeating Japan's Yuna Ojio 11-5, 11-7, 5-11, 3-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-3 in the quarterfinals. The Indian rallied from a 2-3 deficit to secure a place in the semifinals and guarantee herself at least a bronze medal.

India's medal tally at the championships has now risen to four, adding to the bronze medals won earlier in the U-19 boys' team and U-19 mixed doubles events.

In the U-19 boys' singles, P.B. Abhinand's campaign ended in the quarterfinals after an impressive run that included a comeback victory over Chinese Taipei's Yang Hao-en in the previous round despite playing with a damaged racket. Divyanshi's singles campaign also concluded in the quarterfinals, while India's boys' doubles pair of Abhinand and Ankur Bhattacharjee exited in the last eight.

With at least a silver medal already secured in the girls' doubles and Syndrela still in contention for the singles title, India remains in the hunt for gold in Bangkok.