Asian TT: Sathiyan-Sharath storm into quarterfinals

The Indian men’s doubles pair beat Bahrain’s Mahfoodh Sayed Murtadha and Rashed Rashed 11-8, 11-6, 11-3.

File Photo: A. Sharath Kamal (left) and G. Sathiyan will face China’s Liang Jingkun and Lin Gaoyuan in the quarterfinals.

India’s doubles pair of G. Sathiyan and A. Sharath Kamal entered the quarterfinals beating Mahfoodh Sayed Murtadha and Rashed Rashed of Bahrain 11-8, 11-6, 11-3 in the 24th ITTF Asian table tennis championships, in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on Thursday.

In the quarterfinals to be played on Friday, the Indian duo will take on Chinese pair of Liang Jingkun and Lin Gaoyuan.

The other Indian pair of Harmeet Desai and A. Amalraj, after enjoying a bye in the round of 64, fell to the accomplished Chinese Taipei pair of Liu Hsing-Yin and Peng Wang Wei in the next round 11-5, 7-11, 11-3, 8-11, 6-11.

Manika, Archana bow out

The Indian women's pair of Manika Batra and Archana Kamath bowed out in the round of 32 to South Koreans Yang Haeun and Jeon Jhee 6-11, 9-11, 7-11.

Also in the round of 32, Madhurika Patkar and Sutirtha Mukherjee lost to Doo Hoi Kem and Lee Ho Ching of Hong Kong 9-11, 5-11, 11-13.

In mixed event, Sharath and Manika and Sathiyan and Archana lost in the round of 32. South Koreans Lee Sangsu and Jeo Jhiee accounted for Sharath and Manika 11-9, 11-8, 11-7 while Chinese Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha beat Sathiyan and Archana 11-7, 11-9, 13-11.

Manav, Ayhika cause upsets

India’s Manav Thakkar and Ayhika Mukherjee created huge upsets in the men’s and women’s singles respectively. While Manav, ranked 163 in the world, defeated Japanese Kazuhiro Yoshimura (WR 34) 10-12, 11-13, 16-14, 11-4, 11-9 in the third round, Ayhika scripted a 6-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9 win over Chen Szu-Yu of Taipei, ranked 23 in the world, in the second round. Sharath Kamal and Harmeet Desai, however, bowed out in the men’s third round.

The results:Men's Singles (Third round, round of 64): Sharath Kamal lost to Takuya Jin (Jpn) 11-4, 5-11, 11-7, 6-11, 14-12; G. Sathiyan bt Dominic Song Jun (SGP) 11-6, 11-4, 11-5; Harmeet Desai lost to Woojin Jang (Kor) 7-11, 11-2, 11-5, 11-5; A. Amalraj bt Mohammed Alsharif (KSA) 11-4, 11-5, 11-4; Manav Thakkar bt Kazuhiro Yoshimura (Jpn) 10-12, 11-13, 16-14, 11-4, 11-7. Women's Singles (Second round, round of 64): Manika Batra bt Al Xin Tee (MAS) 11-8, 11-9, 11-8; Sutirtha Mukherjee bt Sikka Suwal (Nep) 11-4, 11-3, 11-6; Madhurika Patkar bt Regine Kim (Uzb) 11-3, 11-8, 11-3; Ayhika Mukherjee bt Chen Szu-Yu (Tpe) 6-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9; Archana Kamath bt Cruz Kheith Rhynne (Phi) 11-7, 11-6, 11-5.