Asian Games 2023 Table Tennis: Mixed Day For India as Men's Team Enter Quarterfinal & Women's Team Lose Round of 16 Tie

India's table tennis teams had a mixed day on Sunday (September 24) at the Asian Games 2023 as the women's team bowed out in the round of 16, but the men's team fought back from the jaws defeat to seal a quarterfinal spot at the at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Gymnasium in Hangzhou.

Veteran Achanta Sharath Kamal registered a come back win from two games down in the deciding match of the round of 16 tie against Kazakhstan to book a last eight meeting with South Korea later in the day.

The 41-year-old, who lost the opening match of the round of 16 tie to Kirill Gerassimenko 1-3 (8-11, 11-9, 6-11, 8-11), was trailing 0-2 in the decider, but the seasoned Indian star showed incredible resilience to clinch the match and the tie 3-2 following a 5-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9 against Aidos Kenzhigulov.

Earlier, Sathiyan G had won in three straight games against Kenzhigulov by a scoreline of 14-12, 11-8, 11-4 before going down fighting to Gerasssimenko in five games (5-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 5-11).

In the other match of the tie, which was the third in the order of play, Harmeet Desai defeated Alan Kurmangaliyev in straight games by a scoreline of 11-7, 12-10, 11-5. Now, India will face South Korea in the quarterfinal at 4 PM IST.

Meanwhile, the women's team went down fighting in their round of 16 clash against Thailand after senior paddler Manika Batra lost both her matches in the tie, including the deciding fifth singles, as the Indian women's table tennis team was eliminated from the Asian Games following their 2-3 defeat.

World No. 39 Batra first lost the opening match to 104th-ranked Thai player Orawan Paranang 0-3, with the Thai player dominating the proceeding for a 11-7, 11-1, 13-11 win in just 25 minutes.

But 26-year-old Ayhika Mukherjee brought India on an even keel, winning the second game 3-1, defeating a much higher-ranked Suthasini Sawettabut 18-16, 11-7, 13-15, 11-9.

Sutirtha Mukherjee then defeated Tamolwan Khetkhuan 3-2 (11-1, 9-11, 3-11, 11-7, 11-7) to give India a 2-1 lead before Paranang overcame a gritty Ayhika 3-2 (10-12, 11-4, 5-11, 11-4, 11-3) to keep her team's team's hopes alive.

In the decider, Suthasini made up for her earlier defeat by beating Batra 3-1 (10-12, 11-8, 11-7, 11-6) to take her team into the quarterfinals, where they will play North Korea later on Sunday (September 24) for a place in the semifinals.