Asian Table Tennis Championships 2023: Indian men's team lose to Chinese Taipei, settle for bronze

This is the second successive medal for the men’s team at the competition

The Indian men’s team lost to Chinese Taipei (0-3) in the semifinals of Asian Table Tennis Championships 2023. With this loss, India secure the bronze medal which is also their second consecutive medal in the competition. Earlier, the blue colts defeated Singapore comprehensively in the quarterfinals and assured themselves of a medal.

India’s most experienced paddler Sharath Kamal started the proceedings in match 1 against WR-26 Chuang Chih-Yuan. The Indian lost the battle in straight sets without providing much fight. Both the experienced players last met at the WTT Doha Contender earlier this year. It was Sharath who won the encounter (3-0) but with the recent dip in form, the Indian looked out of radar.

Up next in action was Sathiyan Gnanasekaran who took on WR-7 Lin Yun-Ju and like the opening match of the tie, this match too got concluded in three sets with the top 10 player getting better of Sathiyan. Former top 25, Sathiyan, gave a tough fight in the third set (10-12) but overall put in a sub-par performance.

His compatriot and India’s current top ranked men’s singles player Harmeet Desai was up against WR-33 Kao Cheng Jui. Harmeet was the only player among the three Indians to win a set but ultimately lost the battle (1-3). In the fourth set, both players scored points alternatively till (9-9), but Kao went a step further to secure two straight points and win the tie.

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On the other hand, none of the mixed doubles pair progressed past R32 with Sathiyan/Manika losing in their opening round. Manika suffered a leg injury in the fourth set and had to take a medical timeout for a brief period. Post the timeout, she did not look at her best with the duo losing the battle in five sets. Harmeet Desai and Sreeja Akula were the other Indian pair in the mixed doubles who after winning their opening round, lost to Harimoto/Hayata in R32.

Indian men’s team performance against Chinese Taipei in the semifinals of Asian Table Tennis Championships 2023

Achanta Sharath Kamal lost to Chuang Chih-Yuan (6-11, 6-11, 9-11)

Sathiyan Gnansekaran lost to Lin Yun-Ju (5-1, 6-11, 10-12)

Harmeet Desai lost to Kao Cheng Jui (6-11, 7-11, 11-7, 9-11)