Asian Games 2023: Manika Batra, Sharath Kamal, G Sathiyan storm into pre-quarterfinals

Star Indian paddlers Manika Batra, Sharath Kamal and G Sathiyan dominated their opponents en route their pre-quarterfinals entry in the table tennis competition at the Asian Games on Thursday. Sharath, a team bronze winner in 2018 Asian Games, never gave a chance to Mohammed Shaffan Ismail, his opponent from Maldives before winning 11-9, 11-2, 11-7, 11-7. Sathiyan, who had won a bronze medal in the team event in Jakarta Games 2018, too was equally overwhelming against Turki Lafi Almutairi of Saudi Arabia while registering a 11-5, 11-6, 11-9, 11-2 victory. The Saudi player tried to claw his way back in the third set going closer to the Indian at 9-7, but Sathiyan’s experience proved at the crucial juncture. In the fourth game, Sathiyan just brushed aside his rival giving away just two points.

(Asian Games 2023 Medals Tally | Asian Games 2023 Full Schedule)

Manika, a 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist and a bronze winner in mixed doubles at the Jakarta Asian Games, blanked Nabita Shresthta of Nepal 4-0 (11-5, 11-4, 11-3, 11-2) in just 20 minutes to set up a clash with Thailand’s Suthasini Sawettabut.

However, Sreeja Akula faced a humiliating defeat to North Korea’s Songgyong Pyon 0-4 (6-11, 4-11, 13-15, 9-11) to bow out of the competition.

India fared better in the women’s doubles. Sreeja and Diya Chitale defeated Vietnam’s Ngoc Tran Mai and Nga Nguyen Thi 3-0 (11-8, 15-13, 11-6).

Sutirtha Mukherjee teamed up with Ayhika Mukherjee to seal their place in the pre-quarters after defeating Kazakhstan 3-0.

Sutirtha and Ayhika moved past Anastassiya Lavrova and Zauresh Akasheva 11-7, 11-4, 11-7.

In the men’s doubles, Indian duo of Manav Vikash Thakkar and Manush Utpalbhai Shah defeated Mohamed Shaffan Ismail and Moosa Munsif Ahmed of the Maldives 3-1 (11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 11-2) to enter the round of 16.

Another Indian pair Sathiyan and Sharath outplayed Mangolian combination of Ser-Od Gankhuyag and Manlaijargal Munkh-Ochir 3-0 (11-5, 11-3, 11-3) in just 13 minutes.

However, India’s mixed pair of Sathiyan and Manika failed to control their nerves at the last moment, losing against Zhe Yu Clarence Chew and Jian Zeng of Singapore 2-3 (11-7, 11-9, 11-13, 10-12, 3-11) in a close pre-quarterfinals clash at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park.

The other mixed pair, Sreeja and Harmeet Desai also bowed out of the Games losing 0-3 (4-11, 6-11, 10-12) to Orawan Paranang and Phakpoom Sanguansin of Thailand. PTI TRN ATK UNG APA APA