Sports Desk, Feb 20: India’s women’s table tennis team showcased extraordinary resilience in the World Table Tennis Championship as they fought back from a 0-2 deficit to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory against Spain. Despite facing early setbacks, India’s determined performance propelled them into the round of 32 in the tournament.
The initial stages of the match seemed challenging for India, as their top paddlers, Sreeja Akula and Manika Batra, suffered defeats in their opening matches against formidable opponents from Spain. Sreeja Akula faced a tough battle against Maria Xiao, ultimately losing with a scoreline of 9-11, 11-9, 11-13, and 4-11. Similarly, Manika Batra encountered stiff resistance from Sofia Zhang, succumbing to a narrow defeat with a score of 11-13, 11-6, 11-8, 9-11, and 7-11.
However, Ayhika Mukherjee turned the tide in India’s favor with a remarkable comeback victory against Elvira Rad. Mukherjee’s stellar performance, highlighted by an 11-6, 10-12, 11-4, and 11-6 win, injected renewed momentum into India’s campaign.
Buoyed by Mukherjee’s triumph, India’s top paddlers, Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula, displayed exceptional prowess in their subsequent matches. Batra dominated her opponent, Maria Xiao, with an emphatic 11-9, 11-2, and 11-4 victory, while Akula secured a hard-fought win against Sofia Zhang, prevailing with scores of 11-6, 11-13, 11-6, and 11-3.
With this remarkable comeback, India concluded the group stage in second place, trailing behind table-toppers China. The team’s outstanding performance has fueled hopes for a successful campaign in the upcoming stages of the championship. In the round of 32, India is set to face Italy in a highly anticipated encounter.
Meanwhile, in the men’s competition, India’s Harmeet Desai and G Sathiyan delivered commanding performances, securing comfortable victories in their opening singles matches. Desai outclassed Choi Timothy with scores of 11-5, 11-1, and 11-6, while Sathiyan defeated Alfred Pena Dela with a commanding performance of 11-3, 11-7, and 11-6. Additionally, Manush Shah displayed remarkable resilience, rallying from two games down to secure a thrilling 10-12, 6-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-6 victory over Maxwell Henderson, aiding India’s third-place finish in Group 3 behind South Korea and Poland.
India’s impressive performances in both the men’s and women’s categories reflect the nation’s growing prowess in international table tennis, promising an exciting journey ahead in the World Table Tennis Championship.
