 "Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee won bronze at Asian Games last year. Image: PTI")
Indian table tennis players continue to make the nation proud as Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee assured another historic medal for the country at the Asian Table Tennis Championships on Saturday. Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee defeated South Korean pair of Kim Nayeong and Lee Eunhye 3-1 (10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8) in the quarter-finals to secure at least a bronze in the women’s doubles category.
Two historic medals at Asian C’ships
This is the first time India will be winning a medal in women’s doubles at the Asian Table Tennis Championships. They had earlier won their first-ever bronze in the women’s team event .
As per tournament rules, the team reaching the semi-finals will be awarded at least a bronze.
The world number 15 pair of Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee will take on Japan’s Miwa Harimoto and Miyuu Kishara in the semi-finals on Sunday. The final will also take place on Sunday.
Manav and Manush clinch memorable wins
Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah, meanwhile, clinched memorable wins at the Asian Championships on Saturday in the men’s rounds. India’s World No. 60 Manav Thakkar defeated World No. 14 Jang Woojin 3-2 (5-11,11-9,5-11,11-9,11-7) in the men’s singles Round of 32 match.
Manav was trailing 2-1 after the first three games in a display of great composure, he won the last two games 11-9 and 11-7 to secure his first win over a top-15 ranked paddler.
Impact Shorts
View AllIndia’s World No. 115 Manush Shah meanwhile defeated South Korea’s World No. 23 An Jaehyun 3-0 (11-9, 11-5, 11-6). An Jaehyun is also a former World Championships bronze medallist.
Thakkar will take on Hong Kong’s Chan Baldwin in the round of 16 later in the day, while Shah will be against Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju.
Harmeet Desai lost 0-3 (12-14, 7-11, 7-11) to South Korea’s Lim Jonghoon in the Round of 32 match.
Manika Batra will also be in action on Saturday with a Round of 16 clash against Japan’s Miwa Harimoto.