Asian Games 2023: Sutirtha/Ayhika Mukherjee create history, into table tennis semis

India assured of maiden medal in the women's doubles table tennis event.

India's No. 1 Women's doubles pair of Sutirtha & Ayhika Mukherjee created history in Indian Table tennis at Asian Games 2023. The Indian women's Doubles pair stunned the world champions and World ranked 2 Women's doubles pair of WANG YIDI and CHENG MENG of China in the Quarter-finals of the Asian Games 2023 to secure the very first Table tennis medal in the current edition.

Earlier in the day The Indian men’s doubles pair of Manav Vikash Thakkar and Manika Batra bowed out of their respective Individual events from the Quarter-Final of the Asian Games 2023. While the men’s doubles pair of Manav Vikash Thakkar and Manush Shah crashed out of the competition after a quarter-final loss against Top seed South Korean pair, Manika Batra go down fighting hard in the Quarterfinal against heavyweight Wang Yidi of China.

All the players had stormed into the Quarter-Final of the Asian Games 2023 by winning their respective Pre-Quarter Final in the deciding games.

Men's Doubles

India vs South Korea – Quarterfinals

Indian duo Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah crashed out from the quarterfinals of the men’s doubles event. India’s No. 1 Pair Manav & Manush faced a heartbreaking (2-3) loss against World Ranked 1 Korean pair of JANG Woojin/ LIM Jonghoon. Indian duo started 1st game well but they ended up losing 1st game by a scoreline of 8-11. Then they came back well in 2nd game and won the 2nd game by 11-7. They were leading 9-6 in 3rd game but then the Korean pair came back and leveled the scores 10 points apiece and won the 3rd game by 12-10. However, Manav & Manish didn't give up and won the 4th game by 11-6 to push the match into decider.

They had a golden opportunity to win and ensure a medal as they were leading by 7-2 but then Korean World ranked 1 pair got the benefit of their experience, they covered the lead and won the match in deciding game by 11-9. Thus Indian duo suffered a heartbreaking loss to the top-seeded Korean Duo in 5 games.

Earlier they stunned WR 25 Singapore pair in the Round of 16 by winning it in 5 games and booking a spot in the quarter-final against the top seeds.

Women's Singles

Manika Batra vs WANG Yidi – Quarter- Final

India’s No.1 women's singles player bowed out in the quarter-final against higher-ranked Chinese WR 4 heavyweight. The highest-ranked women’s singles player of India, Manika Batra WR 36, lost to WR 4 WANG Yidi (2-4) of China in the Quarter-Final by 8-11, 12-10, 6-11, 4-11, 14-12. earlier Manika defeated WR 39 Suthasini Swettabut(4-2) in the Round of 16 to become 1st singles player to storm into the quarter-finals of the Asian Games.

Women's Doubles

India vs China - Quarter-Final

India's No 1 Women's doubles pair of Sutirtha and Ahyika Mukharjee stunned world-ranked 2 Women's doubles pair of WANG Yidi and CHEN MENG of Table tennis powerhouse China (3-1) to assure India's 1st Table Tennis medal in this edition. They won 1st and 2nd game easily by 11-5,11-5 then the Chinese World champions came back from 0-2 behind to win 3rd game easily by 11-5 but the Mukharjee duo kept their calm and held their nerves to seal the match in 4th game.

The Indian duo had 4 match points at a score of 10-6 but the world-ranked 2 pair of China saved 3 match points finally, the Indian duo won the match by winning the 4th game by 11-9. what Manav and Manush couldn't do, What Manika Can't do despite fighting hard the duo from Kolkata, West Bengal did it.

The Indian duo will face the North Korean women's doubles pair at 10:15 AM on October 2nd to assure at least India's maiden silver medal in Asian Games