Asian Cup TT: Sathiyan survives but Sharath, Manika exit

Sharath Kamal crashed out of the Asian Cup table tennis championships in Yokohama on Friday, but Sathiyan remains in contention to qualify for the quarterfinals.

File picture of Achanta Sharath Kamal and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran.

G. Sathiyan stayed in contention to qualify for the knock-outs (quarterfinals), while Sharath Kamal crashed out of the Asian Cup table tennis championships here on Friday.

Sathiyan, seeded 10th, lost to Japan’s Koki Niwa of Japan 11-7, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8 before upsetting Yun-Ju’s eighth-seeded compatriot Chih-Yuan Chuang 11-5, 11-4, 11-8. 

However, in his last group match, the 26-year-old Indian lost to Sangsu Lee of Korea 11-7, 11-4, 6-11, 11-5 and finished third in Group-C.

READ: Sharath Kamal, Sathiyan look to book WC berth

In the knock-out round on Saturday, Sathiyan will take on Kirill Gerassimenko of Kazakhstan. If Sathiyan wins, he will reach the quarterfinals and thereby get a ticket for the World Cup. Meanwhile, Sharath, seeded 11th, lost all his three matches in Group-B to finish fourth and last in the group. 

The 36-year-old lost to China’s Ma Long 11-5, 11-5, 11-5, Lin Yun-Ju of Taipei 10-12, 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 and Japan’s Harimoto Tomokazu 11-6, 14-12, 9-11, 5-11, 11-7. 

In the women’s section, Manika Batra, who lost two and won a lone match, ended up third in Group-D and exited from the event.