Indian challenge ends at Budapest as Sathiyan bows out

 

 

New Delhi, April 24: The Indian challenge at the Budapest 2019 ITTF World Championships came to an end when G. Sathiyan failed to go past Hugo Calderano of Brazil in men singles round of 32.

 

The Brazilian, ranked No. 7 in the world, took less than 30 minutes to put it across the top-ranked Indian in the world 11-6, 11-3, 11-9, 11-9 and move into the pre-quarterfinals.

 

However, it was creditable that Sathiyan had done well to enter the round of 32 after having run into good form in the lead up to the Budapest event. Sathiyan, who had secured a berth in the Chengdu World Cup, had finished sixth in the Asian Cup held at Yokohama recently.

 

Sathiyan lone Indian survivor at Worlds

 

New Delhi, April 24: G. Sathiyan was the lone survivor at the 2019 ITTF World Championships as the Indian edged past Christian Pletea of Romania 11-5, 11-9, 6-11, 11-7, 11-6 in a late evening R64 match yesterday at Budapest.

 

The world No. 28 will meet Hugo Calderano of Brazil, ranked No. 7, in men singles round of 32 later today. 

 

Sathiyan, who beat Belgian Robin Devos in the first round 4-0, had little difficulty against Pletea, ranked 131, as he disposed of him in 35 minutes. Sathiyan, leading 2-0, lost the third game as the Romanian won six consecutive points to cause a minor ripple. But the Indian was up to the task to sew it up winning the next two games.

 

Sharath Kamal, on the other hand, was woefully out of sorts against Tomislav Pucar of Croatia when he went down 9-11, 10-12, 11-8, 4-11, 9-11 in round 64. The Indian, ranked No. 36, failed to come to grips against the world No. 58, who had a better control over the match and Sharath. The Indian, however, registered a 4-0 win over Uzbek’s Zokhid Kenjaev in the first round.

 

Manav Thakkar, who had made the main draw cut, failed to go past Austrian Robert Gardos despite a very good fight. The young Indian paddler lost 13-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-3, 2-11, 10-12, 6-11 in the round of 128.

 

Both Manika Batra and Suthirta Mukherjee ended their world championships campaign, bowing out in round of 64 last evening. Taipei’s Szu-Yu Chen beat Manika 11-2, 11-8, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9 as the world No. 24 needed mere 34 minutes against the world No. 56 Indian. In contrast, Suthirta managed to take two games of her rival before losing to Puerto Rican Adriana Diaz 11-4, 8-11, 11-7, 5-11, 3-11, 9-11.

 

Earlier yesterday evening, the Japanese duo of Honoka Hashimoto and Hitomi Sato defeated Manika Batra and Archana Kamath 11-3, 11-7, 11-7, 11-4 in women doubles round of 32.

 

In Day 4 action today, Sathiyan and Archana failed to cope with the higher-ranked Lee Sangsu and Jihee Jion in mixed doubles as the Korean pair moved into the quarterfinals with a 11-6, 11-4, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8.