Two box-office hits give Sharath quarterfinal berth

Jaipur, March 13, 2015: Playing his lead role to perfection, Achanta Sharath Kamal straightaway provided two box-office hits to enter the quarterfinals when the first show opened in the GAC Group 28th Asian Cup Table Tennis 2015 at the SMS Indoor Stadium here on Friday.

Developing a “special liking” for the Pink City, India’s ace paddler was not only in his zone but also struck a good form to first outwit the world No. 8, Chuang Chih-Yuan from Chinese Taipei, 11-6, 7-11, 11-5, 11-3 and, a few hours later, accounted for world No. 16 Joo Saehyuk from South Korea 11-3, 4-11, 11-8, 7-11, 13-11 in a thriller.

Understandably elated, Sharath summed it up in one sentence after the two matches thus: “It has to be one of the biggest days in my career!”

Drawn in a tough Group B, the world No. 49 Indian had to draw from his draining resources in the second match which pitch forked to the last-eight stages for the second successive quarterfinals. The 32-year-old Indian ace lost his third match 6-11, 7-11, 4-11 to world No.3 Fan Zhendong to finish second behind the Chinese in group B.

The championships also saw another major upset when world No. 12 Japanese Koki Nawa outsmarted world No. 2 Chinese Xu Xin, the favourites to win the title here, 11-6, 2-11, 11-5, 12-10 in group A.

But nothing thrilled the full-house audience more than the wins posted by Sharath. The Indian seemed down and out to a clever Korean’s game plan. The defensive Korean had ready answers to all the questions that Sharath posed—excellent cuts, chops and smart attacks, besides superb variations, that fetched clear winners for the Korean.

Showing great patience and not allowing Sharath to attack, he levelled the score 2-2 and led 7-2 in the decider. That was when the Indian rose from the dumps to play a much smarter game to be on match-point at 10-9. But the Korean saved it and did so again on the next before Sharath claimed an “extremely satisfying” victory on the third.

Incidentally, this was Sharath’s first win over his Korean rival. “He is the best defensive player around and beating Joo was sweeter,” admitted Sharath, whose last defeat to him came at the Incheon Asian Games last year. In fact, Joo is the Indian ace’s teammate at Borussia Dusseldorf and he had learnt a few lessons of how to play against defenders from the Korean.

For the twice Commonwealth Games gold medallist, the day began on a bright note. Taking on the same opponent en route to finishing an impressive sixth in the tournament’s 2014 edition in Wuhan, China, Sharatah beat Chuang rather easily.  Sharath, who is essentially a forehand player, used his backhand to greater effect whenever Chuang tried to exploit the Indian’s Achilles heel.

Though the Indian attributed his success to the time spent time in Denmark and Sweden with Chinese players and coaches in the run up to the tournament, what clinched the issue in his favour was his positive frame of mind right from the start. “I’ve lost to Chuang Chih-Yuan many a time in the before but in recent times, I have done much better against him,” he said. “Last year at the Asian Cup, in the 5-8 matches, I beat him but in our most recent meeting in the German Bundesliga, he won 3-2,” added Sharth, stressing on today’s win.

“I was playing on home ground; for him it was very different. He looked nervous initially and I was able to maintain the pressure,” he added.

As for other Indians, Soumyajit Ghosh and G Sathiyan failed against their higher-ranked opponents, losing to Tang Peng and Yang Zi, respectively, in three straight games. Mouma managed a futile win against Iran’s Neda Shahsavari 11-4, 11-8, 11-2 in group D to finish second behind group winner Nanthana Komwon who qualifies for the play-off knockout tomorrow. Poulami, who failed to win a match, finished last in her group. The fate of both Soumyajit Ghosh and G. Sathiyan was no different as they too bowed out from their respective group, without a solitary win.

A TTFI Press release