Tokyo: India’s challenge in table tennis at the Tokyo Olympics ended on Tuesday after Achanta Sharath Kamal went down fighting to reigning champion Ma Long of China at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium arena. The Indian lost 7-11, 11-8, 13-11, 11-4, 11-4 against the undisputed champion in the world.
After losing the first game, Sharath Kamal rallied in the second to take a considerable 8-4 lead in the second. But Long being Long, cut back to make it 8-all before the Indian coach Soumyadeep Roy asked for a time-out.
Roy advised Sharath Kamal to keep the upper portion of his body straight and that did the trick as the Indian roared back into the game, winning the second with three match points. The third game was more even, with both players cutting each other’s leads but Long prevailed in the end to win 13-11.
With Long leading 2-1, Sharath Kamal needed to win the next to stay afloat but the World No.3 Chinese pulled it off in a very astonishing manner, racing to a 6-0 lead before Sharath Kamal managed to get his first point. Long eventually the game and the next to close all doors for the Indian.
Earlier on Monday, India’s Manika Batra was knocked out from the women’s singles event after losing her Round 3 match to Austria’s Sofia Polcanova. Sofia Polcanova won 4-0.
