Manav-Manush pair hopes to make amends

India’s World No. 3 men’s doubles pair of Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah will head into the Asian Games as the country’s strongest table tennis medal prospects, carrying with them the lingering disappointment of a near-miss in Hangzhou three years ago.

The Gujarat duo had come within a point of a medal in Hangzhou, before losing a tense quarterfinal to South Korea’s Jang Woo-jin and Lim Jong-hoon, the then World No. 1 pair.

The defeat, Manush admitted, continues to rankle.

“It’s at the back of the mind. I think the wounds of the last Asian Games haven’t healed yet. Me and Manav both always speak about that match. We want to recover from that loss,” Manush told The Hindu.

The Indians had a match point against the Korean pair and were left devastated after failing to convert despite matching the top seeds for most of the contest.

Heartbreak

“We were very sad because there were a lot of chances. It wasn’t just one chance,” Manav said.

“Before the match, we had the belief that we could win. We played well and our decisions were good, but somehow they were better than us.”

Since then, the pair has made significant progress on the international circuit, climbing to World No. 2 before slipping to No. 3 heading into the continental extravaganza.

Manav, however, was wary of letting expectations become a burden.

“It is a very big opportunity. Last time, we missed out on a medal and this time we are No. 3 in the world, so expectations are there,” he said.

“We hope to give our best and win a medal for the country. But at the same time, we are enjoying every match and the process.”

Keeping it simple

For Manush, the immediate priority remains simpler.

“I always feel the next match is the priority,” he said.

“We are enjoying the training and the process. Results are not something we can rely upon, but enjoying the process is something that is constant.”

Manav and Manush will hope they can finally redeem themselves.