Manika Batra loses both women’s doubles and mixed doubles in Singapore Smash, Indian campaign ends

Manika and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran lost to Japan’s world championships silver medallists duo Hina Hayata and Tomokazu Harimoto in the mixed doubles quarterfinals.

Manika Batra in action: file picture | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Indian campaign ended at the Singapore Smash table tennis tournament after Manika Batra lost both her women’s doubles and mixed doubles matches with her respective partners on Tuesday.

Manika and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran lost to Japan’s world championships silver medallists duo Hina Hayata and Tomokazu Harimoto in the mixed doubles quarterfinals.

Manika-Sathiyan went down 2-3 (9-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 7-11) to their fourth-seeded opponents in a hard-fought last-eight stage match that lasted 52 minutes. The Indian duo was seeded sixth in the tournament.

Earlier, Manika and Sathiyan had defeated the Singapore pair of Jian Zeng and Chew Zhe Yu Clarence 3-1 (11-7, 12-10, 9-11, 11-3) in their round of 16 mixed doubles match. They had got a first-round bye.

In the women’s doubles, Manika and Archana Kamath lost to Meng Chen and Yidi Wang of China 2-3 (2-11, 6-11, 15-13, 12-10, 6-11) in a hard-fought round of 16 match that lasted 42 minutes.

Manika, Sathiyan and Sharath Kamal had lost their respective singles matches in the first round.

In the men’s doubles event, Harmeet Desai and Manav Thakkar were also ousted in the first round.