The Indian men's table tennis team is set for at least a bronze medal at the ongoing Asian Championships following an impressive 3-0 win against Singapore in the quarterfinals on Monday. The team's exemplary performance guarantees a podium finish, keeping the tradition alive after clinching a bronze in the previous edition in Doha two years ago.
Veteran Sharath Kamal Triumphs in Nail-Biting Match
The quarterfinals began with a hard-fought match between India's veteran Sharath Kamal and Singapore's Izaac Quek. The 41-year-old Indian table tennis star eventually prevailed in a match that went down to the wire, with scores reading 11-1, 10-12, 11-8, 11-13, 14-12.
G Sathiyan Puts India in Command
G Sathiyan, another seasoned player from India, then took center stage. He overpowered Singapore's Yew En Koen Pang with scores of 11-6, 11-8, 12-10, expanding India's lead to 2-0 in the quarterfinal clash.
Harmeet Desai Seals the Deal for India
India's highest-ranked player, Harmeet Desai, ranked at 61, put the tie beyond reach by defeating Singapore's Zhe Yu Clarence Chew 11-9, 11-4, 11-6.
Upcoming Matches and Rankings
Third-seeded India will next face either Iran or Chinese Taipei in the semifinals. Amidst a revised points system and fewer tournament participations, both Sharath and Sathiyan find themselves outside the top-100 singles rankings, making this championship pivotal for ranking amends.
Indian Women's Team Falls to Japan in Quarterfinals
On the other side, India's women's team, seeded fifth, suffered a 0-3 defeat against Japan. World number eight Mima Ito defeated Ayhika Mukherjee in the opening singles, while Manika Batra and Suthirtha Mukherjee put up valiant efforts but ultimately fell to their higher-ranked opponents.
The Future Roadmap
Following the quarterfinal loss, the Indian women’s team will now play classification matches for positions 5-8. Both teams are using this continental event as a crucial preparation platform ahead of the Hangzhou Asian Games, slated to begin on September 23.
Keep an eye on this space for more updates on India's journey in the Asian Championships and the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games.
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(With PTI inputs, powered by AI)
