The Indian men's and women's table tennis teams launched their campaign at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Friday, September 22, with resounding success, remaining undefeated on the inaugural day of competition.
Under the leadership of the seasoned Achantha Sharath Kamal, the Indian men's team secured victories against Yemen and Singapore in their group-stage matches, emerging triumphant with scores of 3-0 and 3-1, respectively. Meanwhile, the Indian women's team engaged in an intense battle against Singapore, ultimately emerging victorious on the opening day of table tennis events.
The Indian men's team currently holds the top position in Group F on the points table and is set to face Tajikistan in their upcoming match scheduled for September 23. On the other hand, the Indian women's team is gearing up for their final group-stage match against Nepal. It's noteworthy that Singapore had previously defeated Nepal with a score of 3-0 in their group-stage encounter, further cementing the Indian women's status as favorites to clinch the top spot in their group.
In the men's category, the Indian team exhibited dominant performances in their victory over Yemen, with Sharath Kamal, G Sathiyan, and Harmeet Desai securing victories in their respective singles matches. In their subsequent encounter against Singapore, Sathiyan displayed remarkable resilience, overcoming Izaac Young Quek with a scoreline of 5-11 12-10 11-6 11-9. Harmeet, in a closely contested match, triumphed over Yew En Koen Pang by a score of 12-10 11-8 6-11 6-11 11-5. However, Sharath faced a setback, succumbing to Zhe Yu Clarence Chew with a score of 11-13 8-11 12-10 5-11. Nonetheless, Sathiyan ensured India's continued winning streak, prevailing over Pang with a score of 11-7 10-12 11-9 11-6.
The Indian women's team, led by star player Manika Batra, faced a rigorous challenge against Singapore. The day didn't commence perfectly for the Indian women, as Ayhika Mukherjee suffered a defeat with a score of 11-7 2-11 7-11 10-12 against Jian Zeng. However, Manika Batra managed to level the scores for India, securing victory over Jingyi Zhou with a score of 11-9 9-11 11-7 11-3. Sreeja Akula contributed to India's lead by clinching a hard-fought win against Xin Ru Wong, with a score of 12-14 11-9 8-11 11-9 11-7.
The tie was forced into a decisive decider when Batra experienced a closely contested match against Zeng, ultimately losing with a score of 3-11 11-3 10-12 12-10 10-12. However, Mukherjee ensured a positive start for the Indian women by securing victory over Zhou with scores of 11-7 11-8 9-11 11-5.
(With PTI Inputs)
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