Sathiyan sizzles in India's win over France

At 9-each, Sathiyan played his service games without inhibitions to bag the two points and win the tie for India.

G. Sathiyan beat Emmanuel Lebesson 11-7, 5-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-9. (File Image)

G. Sathiyan pulled off a sensational upset win over World No. 28 Emmanuel Lebesson 11-7, 5-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-9  in the fifth rubber as India edged out France 3-2 in the classification matches for positions 13 to 20 in the World team table tennis championship here on Friday.

Leading two matches to one, Sharath Kamal, who has had a great world championship campaign, led World No.10 Simon Gauzy by two games to nil but went on to lose the remaining three games in the fourth rubber.

Sathiyan, ranked 46 in the world, matched Lebesson with a mixture of effective blocks on both flanks and forehand top-spin shots. It was a close fifth game. At 9-each, Sathiyan played his service games without inhibitions to bag the two points and win the tie for India. It has to mentioned that France had defeated India 3-2 in their first match.

Indian men will take on Romania today at 7:30 p.m. for positions 13 to 16.

The result:

India 3 bt France 2 (G. Sathiyan lost to Simon Gauzy 11-5, 5-11, 6-11, 8-11; Sharath Kamal bt Emmanuel Lebesson 11-9, 11-7, 11-6; Harmeet Desai bt Quentin Robinot 11-2, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9; Sharath lost to Gauzy 11-7, 11-7, 7-11, 7-11, 6-11; Sathiyan bt Lebesson 11-7, 5-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-9).