Indian paddlers Ahika Mukherjee and Sutirth Mukherjee have won the bronze medal in the women's doubles category of the Asian Table Tennis Championship. This is the first time in the tournament's 52-year history that India has won a medal in any category other than the team event.
In the championship being played in Astana, Kazakhstan on Sunday, the Indian pair had to face a 0-3 defeat against the pair of Miwa Harimoto and Miu Kihara of Japan in the semi-final match. Thus the Indian pair had to settle for bronze. The tournament is organized by the Asian Table Tennis Association since 1972. Earlier the Table Tennis Federation of Asia organizes this competition. This tournament was held in 1952.
The Indian pair had lost three matches in a row In the semifinals, the Indian pair of Sutirth Mukherjee and Ahika had to face defeat in three consecutive games. The Japanese pair won the first game 11-4. After trailing 0-1, the Indian paddlers tried to mount a comeback, but it didn't happen. India lost the second and third games 9-11, 9-11.
In the top-4 matches, the Indian pair had to face defeat in three consecutive games.
Defeated South Korea in the quarter finals The Indian pair defeated Paris Olympics bronze medalists Kim Nayong and Lee Yunhee of South Korea 3-1 in the quarterfinals. Sutheerth and Ahika beat Paris Olympics bronze medalists South Korea 10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8.
The Indian pair lost the first game 10-12. After which the Indian pair made a comeback in the second game and beat the South Korean pair 11-7. The third game was won 11-9 and the fourth game 11-8.
Manav and Manush reached the last 16 In men's singles, India's Manav Thakker defeated world number 14 Jang Woojin of South Korea 3-2 in a hard-fought match to enter the pre-quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Manush Shah cruised into the last-16 with a 3-0 win over No. 23 Jaehyun of South Korea.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
