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Paris 2024: Sharath Kamal, Manika Batra To Lead India In Olympic Team Debut

admin — Thu, 16 May 2024 11:29:26 +0000

Veteran Sharath Kamal and world no. 24 Manika Batra will lead the Indian men’s and women’s squads respectively at the Paris Games, where the country will make its Olympic debut in team events. The senior selection committee of the Table Tennis Federation of India on Thursday picked a six-member squad (three in each section) as per the Olympics norms, besides naming the individuals who would compete in the singles events. Sharath, Harmeet Desai, and Manav Thakkar will form the three-member men’s team, while Manika, Sreeja Akula and Archana Kamath will be squad members in the women’s category.

The “Alternate Player” in each section would be G. Sathiyan and Ayhika Mukherjee.

In the men’s singles, Sharath and Harmeet will compete and it will be Manika and Sreeja in the women’s event.

The decision was taken based on the latest world rankings.

It will be the fifth and final Olympic appearance for 41-year-old Sharath, who made his Games debut back in 2004.

Since the selection of the squads and the individuals were as per the already pronounced TTFI criteria, three players “got selected themselves” because of their consistent performances over time and world rankings.

However, there was a debate over the third player for the women’s squad. After Manika and Sreeja Akula walked in on the back of their higher world rankings (top 50), Archana Kamath (103) made it to the team as the third player.

The Bengaluru paddler edged out Ayhika Mukherjee (133) on several counts, including her ranking.

As for the men, Sharath picked himself as the top-ranked Indian at No. 40, while Harmeet (No. 63) and Manav (No. 62) were separated by one slot in WR.

Though both made it to the team composition, National champion Harmeet got the selectors’ nod based on his international (better win-loss proportion to his participation) and national performances.

Incidentally, Massimo Costantini’s presence as a special invitee at the meeting also added teeth as the foreign expert’s inputs proved handy in the selection of the squads.

Costantini will take charge of the Indian team for a third time as early as next week. He arrived in India earlier this week.

Alternate players Sathiyan and Ayhika will travel with the team to Paris but will not stay in the official Games Village. Their services would be needed in case of an injury.

The teams: Men: A. Sharath Kamal, Harmeet Desai, and Manav Thakkar; Alternate Player: G. Sathiyan.

Women: Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula, and Archana Kamath; Alternate Player: Ayhika Mukherjee. PTI BS TAP

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Table Tennis: Manika Batra, Manush Shah-Manav Thakkar Pair Bow Out Of Asian Games

admin — Sat, 30 Sep 2023 07:48:56 +0000

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Manika Batra produced an error-filled game to get knocked out in the quarterfinals of the women’s singles table tennis competition at the Asian Games in Hangzhou on Saturday. Manika went down against world No. 4 Yidi Wang of China 8-11, 12-10, 6-11, 4-11, 14-12, 5-11 and her defeat also marked the end of India’s campaign in the singles event at the Hangzhou Games. The ace Indian paddler lost the first game 8-11, as she showed a distinct weakness on her backhand.

(Asian Games 2023 Medals Tally | Asian Games 2023 Full Schedule)

Even when she won the second and fifth games, it was more about the Chinese player making unforced errors in her eagerness to close out the points.

The classic example came in the fifth game when the Chinese sprayed an easy forehand while leading 11-10, which allowed Manika to claw back.

But in the sixth game, Wang regained her focus and peppered Manika’s backhand with powerful shots that the latter failed to reply properly.

Manika tried to fight back with a couple of powerful forehands but Wang’s astonishing retrieving ability left the Indian frustrated.

Fittingly, a backhand error from Manika that brought the match to an end.

Wang’s laser-guided forehand found Manika fumbling as her backhand return sailed well wide of the table.

Earlier, India’s men’s double pair of Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar also bowed out in the quarterfinals.

They were beaten by South Korean pair Woojin Jang and Jonghoon Lim 8-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-6, 9-11 in the last eight.

The Indians were leading 6-2 in the fifth game which later transpired to 9-9, but they squandered the chances to go down against the Koreans.

“We fought really well. We took the game to 9-9 in the last set. We were very close to winning but we have to take the learnings and move forward,” said Manush after the defeat.

On the experience of playing against the World No. 1 Korean pair, Manush said: “They are probably the toughest opponents. We had some strategies and moves that we wanted to execute, and which we did. But in the end, we couldn’t prevail.” Later in the day, India’s Sutirtha Mukherjee and Aihika Mukherjee will face China’s Meng Chen and Yidi Wang in the women’s doubles quarterfinals.

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Manika Batra Progresses To Quarterfinals; Sharath Kamal, G Sathiyan Crash Out

admin — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 12:35:11 +0000

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Manika Batra progressed to the women’s singles quarterfinals but veterans A Sharath Kamal and G Sathiyan crashed out in the pre-quarterfinals of the table tennis competition in the Asian Games in Hangzhou on Friday. In the men’s singles, Sharath fought bravely against Chinese Taipei’s Chih-Yuan Chuang but eventually the latter prevailed 11-7, 12-10, 9-11, 11-5, 10-12, 6-11, 11-8. Sharath had fought back from a two-game disadvantage to make it 3-3, but he could not hold his composure in the final game.

(Medals Tally | Asian Games 2023 Full Schedule)

Earlier, G Sathiyan lost to China’s Chiquin Wang 3-11, 3-11, 6-11, 3-11.

India endured a mixed day in the women’s doubles event as well.

Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee reached the quarterfinals with a 11-8, 11-7, 11-4 victory over Thailand’s Jinnipa and Wanwisa.

But Sreeja Akula and Diya Chitale were ousted by fifth seeded Japanese Miwa Harimoto and Miyuu Kihara 11-3, 11-5, 11-8.

However, Manika gave something to cheer for India in the morning session with a valiant win.

In a close contest, Manika defeated Suthasini Sawettabut of Thailand 4-2 (11-7, 6-11, 12-10, 11-13, 12-10, 11-6) and confirmed her place in the quarterfinals.

Manika, a bronze winner in mixed doubles at the Jakarta Asian Games, will face world No. 3 Yidi Wang of China on Saturday.

It is her last chance to win a medal at this Games, as she has already lost in the mixed and women’s team events.

In the men’s round of 16, the Indian duo of Manav Vikash Thakkar and Manush Utpalbhai Shah beat Izaac Quek Yong and Yew En Koen Pang 3-2 (3-11, 11-9, 11-6, 5-11).

Manav and Manush will take on Korea’s Woojin Jang and Lim Jong-hoon next.

However, the other Indian pair of Sharath and Sathiyan lost 0-3 (5-11, 4-11, 7-11) against the Chinese pair of Chuqin Wang and Fan Zhendong.

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Asian Games 2023: Manika Batra, Sharath Kamal, G Sathiyan storm into pre-quarterfinals

admin — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 11:05:44 +0000

Hangzhou:

Star Indian paddlers Manika Batra, Sharath Kamal and G Sathiyan dominated their opponents en route their pre-quarterfinals entry in the table tennis competition at the Asian Games on Thursday. Sharath, a team bronze winner in 2018 Asian Games, never gave a chance to Mohammed Shaffan Ismail, his opponent from Maldives before winning 11-9, 11-2, 11-7, 11-7. Sathiyan, who had won a bronze medal in the team event in Jakarta Games 2018, too was equally overwhelming against Turki Lafi Almutairi of Saudi Arabia while registering a 11-5, 11-6, 11-9, 11-2 victory. The Saudi player tried to claw his way back in the third set going closer to the Indian at 9-7, but Sathiyan’s experience proved at the crucial juncture. In the fourth game, Sathiyan just brushed aside his rival giving away just two points.

(Asian Games 2023 Medals Tally | Asian Games 2023 Full Schedule)

Manika, a 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist and a bronze winner in mixed doubles at the Jakarta Asian Games, blanked Nabita Shresthta of Nepal 4-0 (11-5, 11-4, 11-3, 11-2) in just 20 minutes to set up a clash with Thailand’s Suthasini Sawettabut.

However, Sreeja Akula faced a humiliating defeat to North Korea’s Songgyong Pyon 0-4 (6-11, 4-11, 13-15, 9-11) to bow out of the competition.

India fared better in the women’s doubles. Sreeja and Diya Chitale defeated Vietnam’s Ngoc Tran Mai and Nga Nguyen Thi 3-0 (11-8, 15-13, 11-6).

Sutirtha Mukherjee teamed up with Ayhika Mukherjee to seal their place in the pre-quarters after defeating Kazakhstan 3-0.

Sutirtha and Ayhika moved past Anastassiya Lavrova and Zauresh Akasheva 11-7, 11-4, 11-7.

In the men’s doubles, Indian duo of Manav Vikash Thakkar and Manush Utpalbhai Shah defeated Mohamed Shaffan Ismail and Moosa Munsif Ahmed of the Maldives 3-1 (11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 11-2) to enter the round of 16.

Another Indian pair Sathiyan and Sharath outplayed Mangolian combination of Ser-Od Gankhuyag and Manlaijargal Munkh-Ochir 3-0 (11-5, 11-3, 11-3) in just 13 minutes.

However, India’s mixed pair of Sathiyan and Manika failed to control their nerves at the last moment, losing against Zhe Yu Clarence Chew and Jian Zeng of Singapore 2-3 (11-7, 11-9, 11-13, 10-12, 3-11) in a close pre-quarterfinals clash at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park.

The other mixed pair, Sreeja and Harmeet Desai also bowed out of the Games losing 0-3 (4-11, 6-11, 10-12) to Orawan Paranang and Phakpoom Sanguansin of Thailand. PTI TRN ATK UNG APA APA

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Asian Games 2023: G Sathiyan-Manika Batra, Harmeet Desai-Sreeja Akula Pairs Enter Mixed Doubles Pre-Quarters

admin — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 18:19:10 +0000

India’s G Sathiyan and Manika Batra stormed into the mixed doubles pre-quarterfinals of the table tennis competition in the Asian Games on Wednesday. Sathiyan and Batra defeated Thailand’s Napat Thanmathikom and Suthasini Sawettabut 10-12, 11-8, 11-3, 11-8. Later, Harmeet Desai teamed up with Sreeja Akula to overcome Macau’s Chi Cheng Cheong and Hui Li Seak 12-10, 11-7, 11-7 to also enter the last 16 stage. Sathiyan and Batra made a rather cold start to the match losing the first game 10-12.
Perhaps, stung by the loose game they dished out, the Indian pair showed more purpose in the second game.

The Thai duo tailed their Indian counterparts 6-6 but Sathiyan and Batra upped their game when it was needed the most.

Nipat could not return Sathiyan’s fierce forehand when India were leading 10-8, as India levelled the scores.

Sathiyan and Batra had little trouble in quelling the challenge of Thai players in the third set, winning it quite easily 11-3.

In the fourth game, India were comfortably leading 10-5, but the Thai pair made a mini comeback winning three points in a row.

However, Suthasini could not connect with a forehand properly as India won the point and the match.

Harmeet and Sreeja faced some stiff resistance from Macau’s Chi and Hui in the first game before winning it 12-10.

But the Indian duo did not face any meaningful challenge from their opponents in the next two games.

In the men’s doubles event, India’s Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah survived some close moments before beating Thailand’s Napat Thanmathikom and Sitisak Nuchchart 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 7-11, 12-10.

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Indian Men And Women Paddlers Start Asian Games 2023 Campaign On Winning Note

admin — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 18:23:10 +0000

Representative image© X (formerly Twitter)

The Indian paddlers began their campaign at the Asian Games on a rousing note with both the men and women teams registering wins in their respective preliminary group matches on Friday. The men’s team started off with a facile 3-0 victory over Yemen and then got the better of Singapore 3-1 in their second Group F tie. In their first tie of the Games, veteran Sharath Kamal, G Sathiyan and Harmeet Desai made short work of their Yemenese opponents to notch straight game victories. Sathiyan set the ball rolling as he defeated Ali Omar Ahmed 11-3 11-2 11-6 in 14 minutes. The 41-year-old Sharath, playing his last Asian Games, then beat Ebrahim Abdulhakim Mohamm Gubran 11-3 11-4 11-6 to double India’s lead.

The country’s top-ranked player Harmeet sealed the tie with an 11-1 11-1 11-7 win over Magd Ahmed Ali Aldhubhani.

In their second tie of the day against Singapore, Sathiyan beat Izaac Young Quek 5-11 12-10 11-6 11-9, while Harmeet had to dig deep to get past Yew En Koen Pang 12-10 11-8 6-11 6-11 11-5.

Sharath, however, lost to Zhe Yu Clarence Chew 11-13 8-11 12-10 5-11 to hand Singapore some breathing space.

But Sathiyan ensured India continued their winning streak, beating Pang 11-7 10-12 11-9 11-6.

The Indian women paddlers too had a good day in office as they defeated Singapore 3-2 in their opening Pool F fixture.

It was not a perfect start for the Indian women as Ayhika Mukherjee lost 11-7 2-11 7-11 10-12 to Jian Zeng.

But Manika Batra drew the scores level for India, defeating Jingyi Zhou 11-9 9-11 11-7 11-3 and then Sreeja Akula gave India the lead with a fighting 12-14 11-9 8-11 11-9 11-7 win over Xin Ru Wong.

Singapore took the tie into the decider when Batra lost 3-11 11-3 10-12 12-10 10-12 to Zeng. But Mukherjee ensured a positive start for the Indian women by a registering 11-7 11-8 9-11 11-5 over Zhou.

While the Indian men will take on Tajikistan in their next group match, the women will be up against Nepal in their second tie. PTI SSC SSC AH AH

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Asian Games 2023: Indian Women’s Table Tennis Team Starts Campaign With Win Over Singapore

admin — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 14:08:04 +0000

The Indian women’s table tennis team started off their campaign with a hard-fought win over Singapore in their Group F match at the ongoing Asian Games at Hangzhou on Friday.

India beat Singapore by 3-2.

In the first match of the tie, Ayhika Mukherjee took on Jian Zeng in women’s singles competition. Jian won the game by 3-1 (7-11, 11-2, 11-7, 12-10) to give Singapore a 1-0 lead.

In the second match of the tie, Manika Batra took on Jingyi Zhou in another women’s singles match. Batra reversed the fortunes of Singapore, levelling the scoreline 1-1 with a 3-1 win over the Singaporean (11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-3).

Sreeja Akula took on Ru Xin Wong in the third match of the tie. This match was a hard-fought won but Sreeja won it by 3-2 (12-14, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7). With this, the scoreline turned in India’s favour at 2-1.

However, Singapore refused to go down without a fight. Jian defeated Manika by 3-2 in a hard-fought match (11-3, 3-11, 12-10, 10-12, 12-10) to level the scoreline at 2-2.

In the final match of the tie, Ayhika beat Zhou by 3-1 (11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5) to seal a 3-2 win for India.

Now, India will next take on Nepal on Saturday.

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Asian Games 2023 Live Updates: India Hope For Rowers’ Success, Quest For Table Tennis Gold Begins

admin — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 02:28:15 +0000

Asian Games 2023 Live Updates: India Begin Quest For Table Tennis Gold© AFP

Asian Games 2023 Live Updates: The Indian contingent had a somewhat good start to their campaign at the Asian Games 2023 and they will be looking to continue their run on Friday. Rowing has been a strong discipline for India till now and the athletes will have more chances to advance to the medal rounds in their respective disciplines. India will begin their journey with hopes of capturing its first-ever gold in table tennis with a star-studded team comprising of the likes of Manika Batra and Sharath Kamal. India will also take on Chinese Taipei in men’s volleyball after a dramatic 3-2 victory over South Korea.

Complete Asian Games 2023 Medals Tally | Full schedule of Asian Games 2023

Follow Asian Games 2023 September 22 Live Updates here:

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September22202309:25 (IST)

Live Asian Games: Rowers’s success

Coming to rowing, the Indian Men’s Lightweight Double Sculls duo of Arjun Lal Jat (bow) and Arvind Singh (stroke) made it to the Final A with the timing of 6:55.78, topping the Repechage 1 in the 19th Asian Games on Thursday.

Rowing events at the Asian Games 2023 will be held from September 20 to 25 at the Fuyang Water Sports Centre in Hangzhou.

Arvind and Arjun Lal clocked at 6.55.78 and displayed their determination by securing the first position in the Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls event in Rowing.

September22202309:11 (IST)

Asian Games 2023: Decent Day 2

The Indian contingent had a solid second day at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou, with the Indian women’s cricket team reaching the semifinals, men’s and women’s football teams producing contrasting results and some solid performances in sailing and rowing.

Smriti Mandhana-led Team India reached the semifinals of the Asian Games after their quarterfinal match against Malaysia was called off due to rain here at Pingfeng Campus Cricket Field on Thursday.

September22202308:01 (IST)

September22202308:00 (IST)

Asian Games 2023 Live: Good morning!

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the Asian Games today! India had a decent campaign on Thursday with the women’s cricket team entering the semi-finals and the men’s football team earning its first win. They would look to continue the charge today!

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Asian Games 2023: Sharath Kamal, Manika Batra-Led Team India Begins Table Tennis Campaign

admin — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 09:45:07 +0000

File photo of Manika Batra (left) and Sharath Kamal.© Twitter

Hangzhou :

The 10-member Indian table tennis squad, led by veteran Sharath Kamal and ace paddler Manika Batra, will start its campaign at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou on Friday. Table Tennis will be the focus of unmatched fervour and excitement during the Asian Games in 2023. Fans from all around Asia are eagerly anticipating the challenging matches and will be rooting for their favourite athletes. It’s going to be a phenomenon like nothing before! Table Tennis made its debut at the Asian Games in the third edition of the continental event in 1958. Since then, the sport has been featured in every edition except 1970.

The Gongshu Canal Sports Park Gymnasium will stage all the table tennis matches at the 19th Asian Games.

China is without a doubt the best team in this competition. Since the 1996 Olympics, Chinese athletes have taken home 32 of the 37 gold medals , while the rest of the world has only got 5.

India’s long wait for an Asian Games medal in table tennis ended in 2018. In Jakarta, the mixed doubles combination of Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra won bronze, while the men’s team of Anthony Amalraj, Harmeet Desai, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Manav Thakkar, and Sharath Kamal also earned bronze.

Manika, who participated in the mixed doubles event at Jakarta 2018 with Sharath Kamal, will this time partner with Sathiyan Gnanasekaran. G Sathiyan will also compete in men’s singles and men’s doubles (with Sharath Kamal).

Sreeja Akula will feature in the women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles events. In Hangzhou, the 25-year-old Sreeja will partner with Harmeet Desai after winning the mixed doubles gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games with Sharath Kamal. Sreeja Akula will be partnered with Diya Chitale in the women’s doubles.

Kamal, G Sathiyan and Harmeet Desai head into Hangzhou 2023 after winning the men’s team bronze medal at the Asian Table Tennis Championship 2023 in Pyeongchang.

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