Tokyo, April 30: India’s women paddlers passed the Italian test, scoring their fourth consecutive victory (3-1) while their men’s team botched up, losing to the European team 2-3 in Stage 1 of the second division group matches at the World Table Tennis Championships here today.

On a relatively easy day with just one match slotted, one expected the men’s team to win against Italy, if not run through them without a hiccup. In fact, it was the other way round as the Indian women, despite starting the proceedings on a losing note, put up a brave front to carve out a convincing 3-1 win to keep their slate clean.

They have one more match in Stage 1 against Bulgaria tomorrow evening and if they manage to win they would have set a record of sorts for winning five straight matches in a world event. However, one will have to wait until tomorrow to know what they can do though the coaches as well as the team members were confident a great momentum working in their favour.

K. Shamini had to labour her way through in the opening singles losing 4-11, 3-11, 11-8, 11-9, 9-11 to Chiara Colantoni in what should have been an easy battle for the Indian. Shamini had everything going for her in the fifth game but a couple of crucial errors cost her dear.

Nevertheless, Manika Batra defeated Debora Vivarelli 11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 14-12 to level the sore. Then Pooja Sahasrabudhe, who was playing her first match today, accounted for Lisa Ridolfi 8-11, 11-3, 13-11, 11-3 in what turned out to be a one-sided affair barring the first game. Then Manika, playing her reverse singles downed Chiara Colantoni in straight sets of 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 to avenge for Shamini’s defeat.

Probably, the coaches may have erred in their men’s lineup for the match against Italy. Harmeet Desai lost his opening singles to Mihai Bobocica 10-12, 11-8, 7-11, 9-11 but both Achanta Sharath Kamal and Soumyajit Ghosh won their singles to give India 2-1 lead. Sharath Kamal beat Niagol Stoyanov 12-10, 12-10, 11-3 and Ghosh downed Leanardo Mutti 6-11, 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9. In his reverse singles, however, Sharath lost to Mihai 1-11, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10, 9-11 putting the burden back on Desai who failed to pass the test against Niagol as he lost 11-8, 7-11, 8-11, 22-24.

It was, indeed, energy sapping for both the players and that was visible in their approach today. Coaches Peter Engel and Bhawani Mukherjee admitted that both should have won rather easily. “Sharath had a very good chance but he was obviously upset the way he lost his first two games. Though he tried to come back nicely, his rhythm was upset,” said Engel. The coach was, however, confident of India pulling it off against Paraguaytomorrow.

As for Desai, Mukherjee lauded the youngster’s effort, particularly in the fifth game which was a marathon of sort. “Both made mistakes, but Desai made a few more than his rival. When he tried to slow down the match, it cost him a few points which in the ultimate analysis proved costly,” said Mukherjee.