New Delhi: The two Indian pairs of Sharath Kamal and G Sathiyan, and Harmeet Desai and Manav Thakkar, earned bronze medals in the men's doubles of the 2021 ITTF-ATTU Asian Championships here on Monday.
In the first semi-final, the eighth-seeded Harmeet and Manav stretched South Korean fifth seeds of Woojin Jang and Jonghoon Lim before bowing out 4-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-8 in 44 minutes.
However, the sixth-seeded pair of Sharath and Sathiyan withstood the onslaught from Yukiya Uda and Shunsuke Togami for 33 minutes, going down 5-11, 9-11, 11-13.
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Yet, the Indian men made history at the Asian Championships, first winning team bronze last week, and both pairs adding a doubles bronze each.
Harmeet and Manav, facing a 0-2 deficit, were seemingly out of the match. But they regrouped in the third to give a scare to their opponents. From 7-all, they made it 10-10 and took the game 12-10.
With renewed energy, the two combined well and ran the Koreans close at 5-5. But the three points lead at 8-5 restored their confidence as despite Korea making it 9-all, the eighth seeds sealed the game for them.
In the decider, the Indian pair went 6-4 up. But the Koreans seized the initiative (6-6), and it proved costly. The experienced Korean, upping the ante, ensured its place in the final.
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However, after losing the first game tamely against the Japanese pair, Sharath and Sathiyan recovered from a 1-3 deficit to give them a glimpse of hope in the second. The closest the Indians came against the rampaging Japanese left-right duo was 5-6. Then from 6-10, they fought aggressively to pick three more points.
In the third, the Indians led 4-2 but the Japanese levelled 6-6 and soon went up 10-7. Yet, the Indians played brilliantly to deuce. At 11-11, the left-handed Uda returned superbly to put Japan 12-11 and got the breakpoint to seal the Indians fate.
PTI
