New Delhi, October 12: In the heart of Astana, Kazakhstan, the air buzzed with anticipation as Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee took to the table, ready to etch their names into the history books of Asian table tennis championships. With the fierce determination that has become their hallmark, this dynamic Indian duo has not only secured a spot in the semifinals of the Asian Table Tennis Championships but also guaranteed themselves a medal—a stunning testament to their relentless pursuit of excellence.

Fresh off their bronze medal triumph at the Hangzhou Asian Games, Ayhika and Sutirtha were not just playing for glory. They were on a mission to redefine what is possible for Indian women in the sport. As the crowd roared with every rally, their journey became a captivating tale of resilience and ambition, setting the stage for a showdown that promises nothing short of electrifying.

This historic achievement comes hot on the heels of their recent success at the Hangzhou Asian Games, where they also clinched a bronze medal, showcasing their rise as formidable contenders in world table tennis.

In an intense quarterfinal clash, Ayhika and Sutirtha faced off against South Korea's Kim Nayeong and Lee Eunhye, overcoming an early setback to win the match 3-1 (10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8). Their triumph, besides guaranteeing them a spot on the podium also marked a significant milestone as they become the first all-Indian women’s doubles pair to achieve this feat at the Asian Championships.

The Mukherjee duo, currently ranked World No. 15, set their sights on the semifinals, where they faced off against the formidable Japanese pair of Miwa Harimoto and Miyuu Kihara, a match that promised to be a riveting showdown. The Indian duo eventually lost to the Japanese pair 4-11, 9-11, 9-11, after a good fight.

Meanwhile, the excitement doesn’t stop there. In the men’s singles category, Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar delivered jaw-dropping performances against higher-ranked South Korean opponents to advance to the round of 16.

Manush, ranked World No. 115, stunned the table tennis devotees by defeating the highly prolific World No. 23 and former bronze medallist An Jaehyun with a commanding score of 11-9, 11-5, 11-6.

Thakkar, currently World No. 60, also pulled off an impressive upset, rallying from behind to outlast World No. 14 and Asian Games bronze medallist Jang Woojin in a nail-biting five-set match, finishing with scores of 5-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-9, 11-7.

As Shah prepares to take on Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju and Thakkar gears up for a showdown against Hong Kong’s Chan Baldwin, the Indian camp anticipates with bated breath.

However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Indian contingent. Harmeet Desai faced a tough challenge in the round of 32, ultimately falling to South Korea’s Lim Jonghoon, World No. 30, in straight sets (12-14, 7-11, 7-11).

On the women’s singles front, the spotlight now shines on Manika Batra, the last remaining Indian competitor in the event. She is set to face Harimoto in the round of 16 later in the day, a match that could further elevate the excitement for Indian table tennis fans.

With the competition heating up and the stakes higher than ever, the Indian squad is poised to make a lasting impact at the Asian Table Tennis Championships, fuelling hopes for more medals as they battle against some of the best in the sport.

Mixed Fortunes for Indian pairs at Asthana

New Delhi, October 11: Ayhika Mukerjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee have advanced to the quarterfinals of the women’s doubles at the 27th Asian Table Tennis Championships in Asthana. The Indian duo secured their spot by defeating Kazakhstan’s Zauresh Akasheva and Sarvinoz Mirkadirova 11-4, 11-7, and 11-8.

Following a first-round bye, they had overwhelmed Uzbekistan’s Markhabo Magdieva and Arujan Kamalova 11-3, 11-6, 11-4. Their next challenge will be against South Korea’s formidable pair of Kim Nayeong and Lee Eunhye.

In other women’s doubles action, Manika Batra and Diya Chitale advanced to the Round of 32 after a bye but were narrowly eliminated in the pre-quarterfinals. They lost a tightly contested match against Thailand's Orawan Paranang and Suthasini Sawettabutt, with the final score being 2-3. The Thai pair won 11-3, 9-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7. Before that, they had decisively beaten Kyrgyzstan’s Saida Kudosova and Aiana Ulanbekova with a dominant performance, winning 11-1, 11-2, 11-4.

On the men’s side, G. Sathiyan and Harmeet achieved a straightforward victory over Bahrain’s Rashed Rashed and Mohammad Saleh, winning 11-2, 11-7, 11-8. However, fellow Indian duo Manav and Manush faced a challenging pre-quarterfinal match against Singapore’s Yew En Koen Pang and Izaac Quek. Despite leading 2-1, they ultimately lost 2-3 in a nail-biting finish.

In singles, Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah both enjoyed straightforward victories in their matches, with scores of 11-4, 11-2, 11-6 and 11-2, 11-4, 11-6, respectively. Unfortunately, G. Sathiyan was eliminated by North Korea’s Ham Yu Song in a closely contested match that ended 11-9, 8-11, 7-11, 9-11.

Ayhika Mukherjee continued her strong performance in the women’s singles, defeating North Korea’s Cha Su Yong 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 to move into the Round of 32. She showcased impressive form, dominating the match despite a brief challenge in the third game. However, she faces a tough opponent next in Japan's Mima Ito.

Sutirtha Mukherjee, on the other hand, suffered a defeat in the Round of 64 against Kim Kum Yong of North Korea.

In mixed doubles, heartbreak struck for the Indian pairs. After a smooth first-round bye, Manika Batra and Manav Thakkar defeated Uzbekistan’s Markhabo Magdieva and Shokhrukh Skandarov in the Round of 32 with a clean 3-0 sweep. However, they fell short in the Round of 16 against North Korea’s Kim Kum Yong and RI Jong Sik, losing 6-11, 7-11, 11-8, 7-11. Similarly, Diya Chitale and Manush Shah lost a hard-fought match to Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Hsein-Tzu and Feng Yi-Hsin, going down 13-11, 8-11, 8-11, 11-8, 9-11.

The remaining singles matches for other competitors are set to take place later tonight, promising more exciting action as the championships progress.

Men end the team's campaign with the bronze

New Delhi, Oct 10: In a bittersweet end to their campaign at the 27th Asian Table Tennis Championships in Astana, the Indian men’s team bowed out in the semifinals today, suffering a 3-0 defeat at the hands of powerhouse and second-seeded Chinese Taipei.

Following closely in the footsteps of their women counterparts, who also made a respectable run to the semifinals, the men’s team will still return home with heads held high and bronze medals glistening proudly around their necks.

The opening tie saw veteran paddler A. Sharath Kamal, India’s talisman and world No. 42, up against the fearsome Lin Yun-Ju, currently ranked seventh. Lin’s lightning-fast reflexes and razor-sharp precision left little room for Sharath to settle into the game. The 42-year-old Indian fought hard but found himself outgunned in straight games, with Lin closing out the match 11-7, 12-10, 11-9, in a display of ruthless efficiency. Sharath’s loss in the opener was a tough pill to swallow, as the weight of the tie shifted to the young shoulders of Manav Thakkar.

Manav, brimming with promise, stepped up for the second clash with the talented Kao Cheng-Jui, ranked No. 22. Determined not to go down without a fight, the 23-year-old Thakkar showed flashes of brilliance, even managing to steal a game from Kao in a thrilling contest. After a closely contested first game that saw Kao edge it 11-9, Thakkar bounced back to claim the second 11-8, briefly igniting hopes of an Indian resurgence. But Kao quickly regrouped, and his aggressive play coupled with consistent serves proved too much for Thakkar, as the Taipei paddler wrapped up the match 11-9, 8-11, 11-3, 13-11, taking his team to a commanding 2-0 lead.

The pressure shifted to Harmeet Desai, our last line of defence, as he faced world No. 70 Huang Yan-Cheng in the third and decisive tie. Desai, who is ranked 91st in the world, tried to impose his game but was met with stiff resistance from Huang, who seemed to be in sublime form. Huang dictated the tempo and played with a composed dominance that saw him prevail 11-6, 11-9, 11-7. With that, Chinese Taipei sealed their place in the final, leaving the Indian team to reflect on what might have been.

Despite the loss, the Indian men’s team has much to be proud of. A bronze medal at the prestigious Asian Championships is no small feat, especially in the elite continental championships. The men's and women's squads showed incredible grit and determination, proving that India continues to rise in the ranks of international table tennis.

These team bronze medals could spur the team members as they shift their focus to the singles and doubles events. 

Men on the move, ensure third successive bronze

New Delhi, Oct 9: In a thrilling quarterfinal showdown at the 27th Asian Championships in Asthana, India’s men's table tennis team assured themselves of their third consecutive bronze medal, overcoming Kazakhstan in a tense 3-1 victory.

World No. 60 Manav Thakkar set the tone, delivering a stunning upset by dismantling Kazakhstan’s top-ranked player, World No. 41 Kirill Gerassimenko, in a dominant 3-0 (11-9, 11-7, 11-6) sweep. Gerassimenko, normally a formidable opponent, struggled to contain Thakkar’s aggressive style, handing India an early lead.

Kazakhstan’s Alan Kurmangaliyev (No. 183) struck back swiftly, defeating Harmeet Desai 3-0 (11-6, 11-5, 11-8) with a relentless attacking display, levelling the tie at 1-1. Desai, visibly out of rhythm, was found overwhelmed by Alan’s pace and aggression.

Veteran Sharath Kamal, India’s table tennis icon, stepped up in the third match, easing past Aidos Kenzhigulov 3-0 (11-4, 11-7, 12-10) with characteristic poise and precision. Despite Kenzhigulov's brave efforts, Sharath's experience proved too much, restoring India’s lead at 2-1.

The decisive moment came when Harmeet faced a fired-up Gerassimenko in the fourth rubber. After a shaky start, Harmeet found his footing, launching a fierce counterattack in the second and fourth games, turning the tide with explosive backhands and blistering forehands. In the fifth game, Harmeet raced to a 6-0 lead, ultimately holding off a late comeback from Gerassimenko to win 3-2 and seal India’s place in the semifinals, ensuring the bronze. Their recent medal-winning streak began in Doha in 2021.

This victory marks India’s seventh overall medal in the Asian Championships, maintaining the bronze medal streak they began in Pyeongchang last year. The team now eyes more glory at Astana as they will play the winners of the Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong quarterfinals.

Women finish with a bronze

Meanwhile, the women's team secured their first bronze medal after a 1-3 loss to Japan in the semifinals earlier in the day.

Despite a strong showing against second-seeded South Korea, strategic missteps, including the absence of foreign coach Massimo Costantini on the bench against No. 4-seeded Japan, may have cost India a shot at the finals. Surprisingly, the top-ranked Indian woman, Sreeja Akula was also benched.

Ayhika Mukherjee, who shined in the previous round against South Korea, started well against Miwa Harimoto, ranked No. 7 in the world, but let key opportunities slip, losing 2-3 (8-11, 11-9, 8-11, 13-11, 7-4). Miwa struggled to cope with Ayhika’s odd rubber, but the latter failed to press home the advantage.

Manika Batra levelled the score with a commanding 11-6, 11-5, 11-8 win over Satsuki Odo, ranked No. 17 in the world, but Mima Ito, Japan’s second-best paddler at No. 9, dominated Sutirtha Mukherjee, winning 11-9, 11-4, 15-13 to put Japan ahead.

In the decisive fourth match, Batra couldn't maintain her earlier form, falling 11-6, 6-11, 11-2, 11-3 to Miwa, sealing India’s exit but securing a well-earned bronze.

Ayhika leads India to a stunning win over South Korea

Astana, October 8:  In a thrilling display of skill and determination, Ayhika Mukherjee propelled the Indian women’s table tennis team to a stunning 3-2 victory over South Korea in the quarter-finals of the Asian Table Tennis Championships on Tuesday.

This victory not only marked a significant upset but also guaranteed India a medal at the event.

Ranked 92nd in the world, Mukherjee delivered an impressive performance, winning her matches against top-20 opponents. She started strong by defeating World No. 8 Shin Yu-bin 3-2 (11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-7), showcasing her resilience and tactical prowess. Manika Batra, ranked 29th, also contributed with a hard-fought victory over the 16th-ranked Jeon Ji-hee. The ace paddler won 12-14, 13-11, 11-5, 5-11, 12-10.

The South Korean team, which claimed bronze in the women’s team event at the Paris 2024 Olympics, fought back with world No. 49 Lee Eun-Hye blanking Sreeja Akula 11-6, 12-10, 11-8, India’s highest-ranked player at No. 26. Manika faced a tense battle against Yu-bin in the reverse singles but fell just short, losing 2-3 (11-13, 4-11, 11-6, 11-7, 10-12) despite leading in the final game.

With the tie hanging in the balance, Mukherjee took to the table again, clinching victory for India by defeating Jeon 3-1 (11-7, 6-11, 12-10, 12-10) in a crucial match.

Meghna Ahlawat, president of TTFI, congratulated the team members, saying “Your perseverance and skills came to the fore. We are proud of your display.”

This win advances India to the semi-finals, where they will face the winners of the match between Japan and Singapore on Wednesday.

Secretary General, already in Asthana, praised the girls for putting their best foot forward. “They showed their character. A medal in the continental championships is a big boost to Indian table tennis,” he said.

The Indian women's team is poised for a strong finish, with both losing semi-finalists receiving bronze, ensuring that India will leave the tournament with a medal.

Meanwhile, the Indian men's team prepares for their quarter-final match in Astana.