Asian Table Tennis: Indian women finish sixth, mixed doubles teams crash out

The Indian women’s team finished sixth in the Asian Table Tennis Championships after being blanked 0-3 by Thailand here on Tuesday.

The Indians beat Singapore 3-2 in a 5-8 positions match before going down to Thailand in the fifth-position showdown.

Against Singapore, Manika Batra began well against Jingyi Zhou (11-9, 11-3, 11-6) to put the team on the right path, but Sreeja Akula’s loss (7-11, 6-11, 7-11) to Jian Zeng gave the rivals a lifeline.

However, Ayhika Mukjerjee’s win against Ru Xin Wong provided India a 2-1 lead.

In the reverse singles, Manika failed to overcome Jian Zeng and lost 8-11, 6-11, 7-11, putting pressure on Sreeja to make amends for her earlier loss. And the Hyderabadi pulled off a 3-1 (12-10, 11-3, 9-11, 11-6) win over Jingyi to redeem the team’s chances.

Indian men’s team assured of bronze medal at Asian Table Tennis Championships

But the Thai denied the team as Suthasini Sawettabutt accounted for Sreeja 11-6, 11-5, 11-6, then Orawan Paranang downed Manika 11-4, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6 before Wanwisa Aueawiriyayothin overcame Diya Chitale 15-13, 8-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-8 to grab the fifth position.

The paddlers faltered in the mixed doubles too.

G Sathiyan and Manika went down 2-3 (11-7, 10-12, 11-6, 8-11, 9-11) in the round of 32 to another Thai pair, Phakpoom Sanguansin and Orawan Paranang.

During the match, Manika seemed to have twisted her ankle and needed a 10-minute medical attention. But the Indian duo continued and lost.

Harmeet Desai and Sreeja Akula followed suit and lost to the top-seeded Japanese pair of Tomokazu Harimoto and Hina Hayata 6-11, 7-11, 8-11 in another Round of 32 match.

In their first round, the Indian duo beat the Malaysian pair of Shen Qi Wong and Xin Ai Tee 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9.

The Indian men’s team, already assured of a bronze medal, takes on Chinese Taipei in the semifinals on Wednesday.