Busan, July 5, 2013: The Indian challenge in the women’s singles
came to an end at the Asian Table Tennis Championships with Olympian Ankita Das
joining the ranks of compatriots K. Shamini and Mouma Das at the Sajik
Gymnasium here today.
Ankita Das, who gave a great push to Indian table tennis
hopes by conquering 20th-ranked South Korean Yang Haeun in the third round this
morning, faltered in the pre-quarterfinals as she went down to China’s Chen
Meng, ranked eighth in the world, in straight games of 6-11, 1-11, 5-11, 8-11.
Ankita was still regrouping herself from the exhaustive 4-3
(11-7, 11-4, 5-11, 11-8, 9-11, 7-11, 11-4) victory over the Korean who had stretched
the Siliguri girl to seven games in the morning, but had to meet the Chinese
soon after. That took a toll on the 20-year-old who did not have an answer to
the guiles of the Chen Meng. Ankita faltered both on her back and forehands and
failed to overcome a heavy top spin game of Meng.
“I was feeling tired and exhausted after the morning match.
But the Chinese was too good in the pre-quarters. I could not employ my
backhands well and she (Meng) executed excellent forehand shots,” said Ankita
after her loss.
As for the other paddlers, Shamini’s result was foregone as
she lost to world No. 1 Ding Ning of China. The 261st-ranked Indian 4-0 while
the seasoned Mouma Das too looked tired after her marathon win yesterday
against the Singapore
girl Issabelle. Mouma was accounted for by Japan ’s Kasumi Ishikawa, ranked
ninth, 11-4, 8-11, 11-2, 11-7, 11-7 in the round of 32.
In the men’s doubles Indian pair of Achanta Sharath Kamal
and Sanil Shetty frittered away a good start against Hong
Kong ’s Cheung Yuk and Leung Cun Yan in the pre-quarterfinal stage.
The Indian duo lost 4-11, 11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 8-11.
The men’s singles events will see Sharath Kamal, Harmeet
Desai, Sanil Shetty and Anthony Amalraj in action tomorrow.
A TTFI Press release
No comments:
Post a Comment