Asian Table Tennis | Indian men come up short in the quarterfinals

India’s streak of 3 successive men’s squad class medals successful the Asian array tennis championships came to an extremity connected Sunday, arsenic a young broadside led by Manav Thakkar went down 0-3 to Hong Kong (China) successful the quarterfinals astatine the Kalinga Indoor Stadium here.

With 2 of the 3 Indians making their squad title debut, the hosts — contempt a vocal location assemblage cheering them connected — recovered the seasoned Hong Kong outfit excessively crisp and disciplined. While Hong Kong sealed a long-awaited medal, India volition present diagnostic successful the fifth-to-eighth spot playoffs.

National champion Manush Shah opened India’s run against seasoned Wong Chun Ting but was outplayed by the 24-year-old’s precision and power. Wong’s placement and power connected some flanks near the Indian southpaw small country to dictate rallies.

Captain Manav past stepped in, facing a acquainted hostile successful the left-handed Chan Baldwin. In a gripping contention that went the distance, Manav’s assertive intent produced respective stunning rallies but besides unforced errors astatine important junctures. His repeated misses connected third-ball forehand topspins yet outgo him the match.

Youngster Ankur Bhattacharjee, who had beaten Lam Siu Hang astatine the China Smash past month, began brightly and surged to a 9-5 pb successful the 2nd crippled aft winning the first.

But erstwhile Lam recovered his rhythm, the Hong Kong paddler reeled disconnected six consecutive points to snatch momentum. Ankur’s inability to adjacent retired the 3rd crippled proved decisive, arsenic Lam’s forehand barrage sealed Hong Kong’s transition to the semifinals.

The absorption present shifts to the women’s team, which begins its run precocious connected Monday evening, with its quarterfinal hostile to beryllium confirmed earlier successful the day.

The results: Men: Quarterfinals: Hong Kong (China) bt India 3-0 (Wong Chun Ting bt Manush Shah 11-5, 11-9, 13-11; Chan Baldwin bt Manav Thakkar 11-8, 11-8, 10-12, 9-11, 11-8; Lam Siu Hang bt Ankur Bhattacharjee 7-11, 11-9, 12-14, 11-6, 11-7).

Japan bt Korea 3-1 (Tomokazu Harimoto bt An Jaehyun 11-9, 13-11, 11-7; Sora Matsushima bt Cho Daeseong 14-12, 10-12, 4-11, 11-8, 11-4; Shunsuke Togami mislaid to Oh Junsung 7-11, 5-11, 8-11; Harimoto bt An 11-5, 11-9, 11-6).