Asian TT C’ship: Sharath takes India to Champions Division

With the main draw place at stake in the Champions Division, top paddler Sharath Kamal led India to a 3-0 win over Thailand in the First Division.

Sharath Kamal’s form was crucial on the day for the Indians.

With the main draw place at stake in the Champions Division, top paddler Sharath Kamal led India to a 3-0 win over Thailand in the First Division and enter the final along with DPR Korea here today.

This was the second occasion that the Indians have made it to the quarterfinals of the Champions Division of the Asian event where it was drawn to meet Japan. Before that, it will first clash with DPR Korea in the final of the First Division.

Sharath’s form was crucial on the day for the Indians as he was the one who got the team across the line. Despite Thai Padasak Tanviriyavechakul providing a rousing start, beating G. Sathiyan in the opening rubber 11-9, 11-6, 14-12, the match turned on its head when Sharath entered the arena, calming down the nerves of the Indian bench with straight games triumph of 11-9, 11-5, 11-6 against Supanut Wisutmaythangkoon.

Sharath soon after returned to make sure that the Indians were not denied a place in the main draw when he defeated Padasak 11-7, 11-6, 11-4, despite the Thai being very strong on his forehands. The tall Indian was at his best in the crucial rubber and reeled off winners after winners with his backhand working well.

“In the first match against Supanut I was down 3-8, but came back to win 11-9. That gave me the confidence against Padasak. I never let him play to his strength, his fierce forehands,” said Sharath.

In between, an aggressive Harmeet Desai consolidated the position with a 3-1 (15-13, 14-16, 11-8, 11-5) victory over Pattaratom Passara, who is a strong backhand player. “I was down 5-9 but the win in the first game was crucial. Thereafter, I was able to build my game as the match progressed and kept varying my service and hitting wide of his forehand,” said Harmeet.

In the first stage, Indian men drawn with Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan, toyed with both teams in Group B to win against them 3-0.

But the women’s team could not progress beyond the semifinals of the first division as it went down to Chinese Taipei 1-3. This means the Indian women will now have to play the 9-12 classification matches.