Now Reading: Europe Smash: Indian challenge ends after doubles and singles defeats
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Europe Smash: Indian challenge ends after doubles and singles defeats
India’s campaign at the Europe Smash table tennis tournament in Malmo ended on Thursday. Men’s doubles pair Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar, world No. 3, lost 2-3 to Belgium’s Martin Allegro and…
The Story in Brief
India’s campaign at the Europe Smash table tennis tournament in Malmo ended on Thursday. Men’s doubles pair Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar, world No. 3, lost 2-3 to Belgium’s Martin Allegro and Adrien Rassenfosse (world No. 10) in the quarterfinals after saving six match points. It was their first loss in three meetings.
Earlier, qualifier Diya Chitale was swept 0-3 by China’s fifth-seeded Wang Yidi in the round of 32, losing 11-8, 11-4, 11-5 in 20 minutes.
The Indian Opinion
The exit of Manush-Manav and Diya will inevitably be met with sighs of 'same old story' for Indian table tennis. But that ignores the fight: the men's duo saved six match points against a higher-ranked Belgian pair, and Diya was a qualifier facing the world No. 5. The real measure is not this loss, but how many more Indians break into the top 50 in the next two years.
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
