The Indian women’s team went down fighting 2-3 to top seed China in their first group match of the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Busan on Friday.
Ayhika Mukhjeree made everyone sit up and take notice when she put it across World No. 1 Sun Yingsha 2-10, 2-11, 13-11, 11-6 in the first tie.
The Indian’s pimpled rubber on her forehand caused immense problems for the World No. 1, and the Indian, ranked 155, was confidence personified as she attacked with confidence to script a huge upset.
Manika Batra, India’s highest ranked player at 36, caved in without much of a fight to Wang Manyu, World No.4. in four games.
With the match tied at 1-1, Sreeja Akula, ranked 49, played, perhaps the best match of her life, attacking and defending with gusto to overcome Wang Yidi, World No.2, in straight games at 11-7, 11-9, 13-11.
Much was expected from Manika in the fourth rubber against the World No.1 Yingsha, but the Indian wasn’t consistent enough as the Chinese ran away with the match in four games.
The fifth and deciding tie saw Ayhika take on Wang Manyu. The World No.4 Chinese dispatched of the Indian in three straight games.
The Indian women’s team will next take on Hungary on Sunday at 1.30 p.m. IST.
The results: Women: India lost to China 2-3 (Ayhika Mukherjee bt Sun Yingsha 12-10, 2-11, 13-11, 11-6; Manika Batra lost to Wang Manyu 3-11, 8-11, 15-13, 7-11; Sreeja Akula bt Wang Yidi 11-7, 11-9, 13-11; Manika lost to Yingsha 3-11, 6-11, 13-11, 9-11; Ayhika lost to Manyu 9-11, 11-13, 6-11).
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