Another hosts’ paddler, Suthirtha Mukherjee, who won
4-3 (11-2, 11-5, 11-8, 5-11, 7-11, 13-15, 11-8)against Caroline Kumahara,
joined Ayhika in the round of 32 to keep the tricolor afloat on a day Manika
Batra, India’s highest-ranked at No. 29, faltered to deceive and went down to
eighth seeded Romanian Bernadette Szocs 4-2.
However, all the three boys—Sudhanshu Grover, Rohit
Rajasekhar and Arjun Ghosh—failed after entering the main draw and surrendered
meekly.
The entire burden of carrying India into the next round
rested on Manika but she was outclassedBernadette Szocs 11-8, 11-6, 11-8, 6-11,
5-11, 11-3. Manika had earlier beaten Germany ’s Anja Schuh 11-9, 11-8,
11-7, 11-7.
With the focus shifting to the two Mukherjee girls and with
Ayhika in the best form of her life, it was left to the duo. Ayhika just rolled
over the Korean without much trouble, but Suthirtha, after leading 3-0, wilted
under constant pressure coming from her Brazilian opponent.
The fifth game between Suthirtha and Caroline turned out be
the decisive in letting the latter grow in confidence. At 4-0 the Indian was
broken by the Brazilian who took the next seven points on the trot to take the
game. In the next, the Brazilian ran her opponent neck and neck before
restoring parity. At 3-3, it was anybody’s match, but the Indian prevailed over
Caroline to the delight of the crowd. In the first round Suthirtha accounted
for Sandrfa Wabik of Poland
4-11-6, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8
In fact, the girls were a notch better with five out of six
making the grade, including local girl Karnam Spoorthy who was the lucky-loser
entrant. The other girl, T. Reeth Rishya, who qualified from her group
yesterday failed to use the opportunity.
Ayhika’s example should be an eye-opener for other juniors.
The girls from Kotkata did the impossible, particularly after being down 1-3.
No doubt, she took the first game rather easily but losing the next three not
only drained her out emotionally but morally too. A pep talk with coach
Kamalesh Mehta at the end of the fourth game did wonders for her.
From then on the teenager was a transformed person. The
anti-rubber and forehand which provided a variety play to Ayhika put her on an
advantageous position as her opponent was struggling to gauge the spin and
speed. Ayhika’s went full blast and kept her chances alive after taking the
fifth game. In the sixth, she kept her cool and won with a forehand winner.
Then in the decider, the Indian was in complete command and slowed down
cleverly to outwit the Hong Kong girl 11-8,
11-13, 8-11, 5-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-8.
As was to expect in a world meet like this, the Chinese and
the Japanese dominated the proceedings
.
Results: (Only Indians):
Junior Boys: Lee Chia Cheng (Tpe) bt Sudhanshu
Grover 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-6, Antoine Hachard (Fra) bt Rohit Rajasekhar
7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-4, 11-9, Lin Gaoyuan (Chn) bt Arjun Ghosh 11-3, 11-6,
11-1, 11-4.
Junior Girls: (Round 1): Manika Batra bt Anja Schuh
11-9, 11-8, 11-7, 11-7, Britt Eerland (Ned) bt T. Reeth Rishya 12-10, 11-9,
11-7, 11-8, Gu Rouchaen (Chn) bt Karnam Spoorthy 11-3, 11-5, 12-10, 11-1,
Ayhika Mukherjee bt Doo Hoi Kem 11-8, 11-13, 8-11, 5-11, 11-9, 12-10,
11-8, Suthirtha Mukherjee bt Sandra Wabik (Pol) 4-11-6, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6,
11-8;(Round 2): Bernadette Szocs (Rom) bt Manika Batra 11-8, 11-6, 11-8,
6-11, 5-11, 11-3, Ayhika Mukherjee bt Dasom Lee (Kor) 6-11, 11-4, 11-7,
11-8, 12-10, Sutirtha Mukherjee bt Caroline Kumahara 11-2, 11-5, 11-8, 5-11,
7-11, 13-15, 11-8.
A TTFI Press release
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