World Table Tennis C’ships: Indian women’s team blanks Uzbekistan 3-0

Busan [South Korea], February 19 (ANI): The Indian women’s team led by Manika Batra produced a strong performance to blank Uzbekistan 3-0, registering their second straight victory in Group 1 of the 2024 World Team Table Tennis Championships in Busan on Monday.

Following a 3-2 victory over Hungary on Sunday, the Indian women’s team chose to rest Ayhika Mukherjee and Sreeja Akula while adding Archana Kamath and Diya Chitale to the lineup.

Kamath began proceedings by easily defeating Uzbekistan’s Rimma Gufranova 11-7, 11-3, 11-6.

Batra followed, defeating Markhabo Magdieva 11-7, 11-4, 11-1 to increase India’s advantage.

Chitale was put under pressure by Rozalina Khadjieva in the third set of the tie, but she managed to win 11-6, 10-12, 11-4, 11-6, giving India its second consecutive victory after losing to China.

However, the Indian men’s squad suffered a 0-3 setback against hosts South Korea earlier in the day.

Harmeet Desai, India’s highest-ranked men’s singles player at world No. 67, went down to Korea’s Woojin Jang in the opening match of the men’s tie. Jang proved too good for Harmeet, who lost 3-0 (11-4, 12-10, 11-8).

Meanwhile, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran suffered a defeat against 5-11, 7-11, 7-11 to Lim Jonghoon.

Four-time Olympian Achanta Sharath Kamal fought hard but lost the match 9-11, 11-8, 6-11, 5-11, as India suffered their second consecutive loss in the competition.

The Indian men will play New Zealand next on Tuesday while the women take on formidable Spain.