Indian girls in Stage 2, but boys lose their way

Hyderabad, December 9, 2012: Even as the Indian girls huffed and puffed their way to Stage 2, beating France 3-1, the boys failed to match their wits against Hong Kong, who beat the hosts 3-1 to march into the next stage in the Volkswagen 2012 World Junior Table Tennis Championships at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium here on Sunday. 

With just the top team from each group making the grade, the Indian girls now join Group F and are pitted against France and Brazil. In Stage 2, only two teams will advance to the quarterfinals and the girls definitely have an uphill task. However, the boys will have to be content with playing for positions from 13 to 20 after their loss to Hong Kong. 

Even for the girls, it was not a cakewalk against a tough France. But what clinched the issue in their favour was the crucial second match between T. Reeth Rishya and Marina Berho which the former eventually won 2-0 to put India up. Though Suthirtha Mukherjee lost her rubber to in a tough fight to Laura Pfefer 3-2, Manika Batra, who gave a rousing start against France, settled the matter in her reverse singles against Marina to win 3-1.

Coach Kamlesh Mehta did admit that not knowing much about France proved to be an advantage. “When you don’t know much about your opponent, you are always cautious. That is how our girls began and eventually finished on top,” said Mehta.

But unfortunately, the boys’ team lost its plot after Sudhanshu Grover gave a brilliant start to their campaign winning against Chung Hei Chiu. The aggressive Grover was up to the task after he was pushed on the back foot in the first game. He reverted to his own attacking form that it paid rich dividends. Nevertheless, their No. 1 player Abhishek Yadav was too error-prone against Hong Kong’s No. 1Ka Tak Hung and the latter without allowing any liberty shut out the Indian southpaw.

Utkarsh Gupta, despite being down 0-2, came back strongly against Siu Hang Lam to level the score at 2-all before wilting under pressure against his rival who played a tactical game to outwit Gupta taking the game at 11-9 for the match. 

Earlier, the boys had defeated Chile 3-0 and the girls’ beat Australia by the same margin. Abhishek Yadav played a patchy game against Sebastian Roman in the first match, but the Indian countered him well after the first two games to put India on a winning way.

Sudhanshu Grover accounted for Gustavo Gomes despite dropping the first game and Utkarsh Gupta completed the formality by beating No. 3 Chilean Juan Lamadrid in straight sets.

The girls’ match against Australia had some ups and downs but the hosts were in control of the rubber with Manika Batra beating Vy Bui 3-0. Then Reeth Rishya downed Anna Du despite in considerable trouble against the latter’s topspin. Reeth blocked well and that helped her as well as India’s cause as they took a 2-0 lead. The promising Suthirtha Mukherjee simply ran over Sara Tan in the third rubber.

The best match of the championships so far turned out to be the one between Chinese Taipei and Egypt which the former’s girls team won 3-2 in a thrilling encounter. Dina Meshref did her star act for Egypt by winning both her matches but their No. 1 Alia Doaa failed in her efforts losing both her matches.

Results:

Junior Boys:

Group A (Stage 1): Hong Kong bt Chile 3-0 (Ka Tuk Hung bt Gustavo Gomez 9-11, 11-13, 11-8, 11-5, 11-5, Chung Hei Chiu bt Sebastian Roman 11-3, 11-7, 11-8, Hong Ming Li bt Alfonso Olave 10-12, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 12-10), India bt Chile 3-0 (Abhishek Yadav bt Sebastian Roman 17-15, 8-11, 11-2, 11-9, Sudhanshu Grover bt Gustavo Gomez 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9, Utkarsh Gupta bt Juan Lamadrid 11-6, 11-6, 12-10), Hong Kong bt India 3-1 (Chung Hei Chiu lost to Sudhanshu Grover 9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 5-11, Ka Tak Hung bt Abhishek Yadav 11-6, 11-8, 11-7, Siu Hang Lam bt Utkarsh Gupta 11-8, 11-5, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, Chung Hei Chiu bt Abhishek Yadav 11-6, 11-5, 7-11, 9-11, 11-2).

Group B (Stage 1): Czech Republic bt USA 3-1 (David Reitspies bt Kunal Chodri 11-8, 101-12, 11-9, 11-7, Ondrej Bajger bt Grant Li 11-6, 11-5, 11-5, Michal Benes lost to Theodore Tran 11-13, 11-2, 5-11, 11-7, 7-1, David Reitspies bt Grant Li 11-7, 14-12, 11-9), Egypt bt USA 3-0 (Omar Bedair bt Kunal Chodri 11-8, 11-6, 11-4, Shady Magdy bt Kanak Jha 11-5, 11-7, 11-9, Abdel-Rahman Mohammad bt Theodore Tran 11-5, 11-8, 11-4), Czech Republic bt Egypt 3-0 (David Reitspies bt Omar Bedair 11-6, 11-9, 13-11, Ondrej Bajger bt Shady Magdy 7-11, 11-8, 11-7, 12-10, Jakub Seibert bt Abdel-Rahman Mohammad 11-7, 11-5, 6-11, 11-3), Belgium bt Italy 3-1 (Florent Lambiet bt Leonardo Mutti 11-9, 11-8, 10-12, 7-11, 11-8, Robin Devos lost to Alessandro Baciocchi 14-12, 9-11, 9-11, 9-11, Martin Allegro bt Damiano Seretti 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9, Robin Devos bt Leonardo Mutti 9-11, 11-9, 17-15, 11-9).

Group C (Stage 1): Belgium bt New Zealand 3-0 (Florent Lambiet bt Kevin Wu 11-5, 11-9, 11-2, obin Devos bt Roger Rao 11-4, 11-3, 11-9, Martin Allegro bt Daniel Lowe 11-3, 11-9, 11-13, 11-5),  Italy bt New Zealand 3-0 (Alessandro Baciocchi bt Roger Rao 14-12, 11-9, 11-8, Leonardo Mutti bt Kevin Wu 11-7, 11-9, 11-8, Damiano Seretti bt Liam Young 11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7).

Group D (Stage 1):Hungary bt Australia 3-0 (Nandor Ecseki bt Heming Hu 11-6, 11-3, 11-3, Marton Szita bt Ivan Sulfaro 11-5, 11-7, 11-0, Adam Szudi bt Nathan van der Heiden 11-4, 11-6, 11-8), Argentina bt Australia 3-1 (Fermin Tenti bt Ivan Sulfaro 11-6, 11-7, 11-7, Juan Daher lost to Heming Hu 11-9, 8-11, 3-11, 11-9, 8-11, Fermin Tenti bt Heming Hu 6-11, 11-8, 11-6, 12-10), Hungary bt Argentina 3-1 (Marton Szita bt Fermin Tenti 11-4, 11-8, 11-6, Tamas Lakatos bt Pablo Saragovi 11-6, 4-11, 11-6, 11-5, Nandor Ecseki lost to Juan Daher 9-11, 11-7, 6-11, 7-11, Tamas Lakatos bt Fermin Tenti 10-12, 11-3, 11-5, 11-5).

Junior Girls:

Group A (Stage 1): Croatia bt Venezuela 3-0 (Mateja Jeger bt Winberly Montero 11-2, 11-2, 11-9, Lea Rakovac bt Gremlis Arvelo 11-5, 11-5, 11-8, Ivana Tubikanec bt Josmary Lucena 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 12-10), Caroline Kumahara bt Winberly Montero 11-3, 11-4, 11-8, Karina Hayama bt Gremlis Arvelo 11-9, 11-5, 11-6, Bruna Alexandre bt Josmary Lucena 11-3, 11-7, 11-6).

Group B (Stage 1): Chinese Taipei bt Puerto Rico 3-0 (Yu-Wen Huang bt Carelyn Cordero 11-9, 11-8, 11-4, Hisn Huang bt Daniely Rios 8-11, 12-10, 10-12, 11-8, 11-5, Ya-Ting Hsu bt Melanie Diaz 11-5, 11-6, 11-5), Egypt bt Puerto Rico 3-1 (Alia Doaa bt Carelyn Cordero 3-11, 7-11, 8-11, Dina Meshref bt Daniely Rios 9-11, 12-10, 13-11, 11-4, Dina Meshref bt Carelyn Cordero 11-5, 11-4, 11-8), Chinese Taipei bt Egypt 3-2 (Hsin Hung bt Alia Doaa 10-12, 11-5, 11-8, 11-2, Ya-Ting Hsu lost to Dina Meshref 11-5, 8-11, 11-13, 10-12, Yu-Wen Huang bt Yousra 11-8, 11-7, 5-11, 11-6, Hsin Hung lost to Dina Meshref 3-11, 6-11, 12-10, 5-11, Ya-Ting Hsu bt Alia Doaa 11-4, 11-3, 12-10).

Group C (Stage 1): France bt Australia 3-0 (Laura Pfefer 11-3, 11-7, 11-7, Sarah Berge bt Vy Bui 11-5, 9-11, 11-6, 11-4, Marina Berho bt Kayla Coombs 11-5, 11-6, 11-5), India bt Australia 3-0 (Manika Batra bt Vy Bui 11-8, 11-7, 11-8, T. Reeth Rishya bt Anna Du 11-6, 4-11, 11-8, 11-6, Suthirtha Mukherjee bt Sarah Tan 11-5, 11-1, 11-8), India bt France 3-1 (Manika Batra bt Sara Berge 11-7, 11-8, 11-4, T. Reeth Rishya bt Marina Berho 7-11, 11-7, 11-4, 6-11, 11-8, Suthirtha Mukherjee lost to Laura Pfefer 5-11, 7-11, 11-8, 120-10, 9-11, Manika Batra bt Marina Berho 12-10, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9).

Group D (Stage 1): Belarus bt Wales 3-1 (Katsiaryna Baravok bt Angharad 11-5, 11-6, 11-5, Alina Arlouskaya bt Charlotte 11-6, 11-4, 7-11, 9-11, 13-11, Maryia Kuchuk bt Megan Phillips 10-12, 14-16, 11-7, 14-12, 11-9), Netherlands bt Wales 3-1 (Kim Vermaas bt Angharad 11-6, 11-2, 11-7, Alice Barendregt lost to Charlotte Carey 11-5, 2-11, 10-12, 5-11, Britt Eerland bt Megan Phillips 11-2, 11-7, 11-5, Kim Vermaas bt Charlotte Carey 11-8, 11-3, 11-6).

TTFI Press release