World Table Tennis Championships: Manika Batra’s result best as paddlers bow out

PTI

Durban, May 24

Star paddler Manika Batra fought hard before going down to Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico in the Round of 32 as India’s campaign ended at the World Table Tennis Championships here today.

Up against world No. 13 Diaz, Manika took the first game before her opponent stepped on the gas. It was a fairly balanced tie till the sixth game with both the players locked at 3-3, but Diaz won the decider as Manika lost 3-4 (6-11 12-10 11-9 6-11 13-11 9-11 11-3) to book her place in the last-16 stage.

Even though she lost, Manika managed to ensure the best result for India in the singles competition ever.

Achanta Sharath Kamal and G Sathiyan then lost to English pair of Paul Drinkhall and Liam Pitchford 3-1 (11-9 8-11 12-14 10-12) to crash out in the Round of 16 of the men’s doubles event.

The Indian combination had defeated the same English duo en route their gold medal win in last year’s Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

The women’s doubles pair of Manika and Archana Kamath lost 0-3 (8-11 6-11 7-11) to Japan’s Hina Hayata and Mima Ito in the Round of 16 to make an exit.

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