Singapore Smash 2024: Sharath Kamal and the pair of Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee secure wins; Manika Batra, Manav/Manush bow out

The second day of the main draw of the Singapore Smash 2024 saw some spectacular matches take place. It was a mixed day for India’s only remaining paddlers at the tournament, who were all seen in action on March 11.

While Achanta Sharath Kamal and the pair of Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee won their respective matches, India’s men’s doubles duo of Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah and India’s women’s singles star, Manika Batra, ended their campaign at the USD 1,500,000 tournament taking place at the Singapore Sports Hub.

A closer look at the results of the Indian paddlers at the Singapore Smash 2024

In the men's singles category, veteran paddler Achanta Sharath Kamal was the lone Indian representative in the main draw. Facing off against the higher-ranked Nicolas Burgos from Chile, Kamal displayed his wealth of experience and put on a commanding performance, defeating his opponent with a score of 11-5, 11-4, 11-6. He will now take on Darko Jorgic in the second round.

Meanwhile, in the women's doubles category, Asian Games medalists Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee showcased their remarkable talent and resilience.

After going down 1-2 in the match, the Indian pair kept their composure and clawed their way to a victory, winning the fourth and fifth games to book their place in the pre-quarterfinals. The score of their hard-fought victory against Miu Hirano and Miwa Harimoto was 11-8, 5-11, 3-11, 11-6, 11-9. Their next opponents are Maria Xiao and Adina Diaconu.

While the women’s doubles duo and Sharath Kamal managed to secure victories, the fans also witnessed a couple of matches that saw the Indian paddlers on the losing side. In the women's singles category, Manika Batra, the only remaining hope for India, faced Wang Yidi, the World No. 4 from China.

Despite her valiant efforts, Batra succumbed to the Chinese star with a score of 4-11, 7-11, 2-11, bringing an end to her campaign in the tournament.

Similarly, in the men's doubles category, India's pair of Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah bowed out in their first-round clash against Japan's Shunsuke Togami and Hiroto Shinozuka. Despite their best efforts, they fell short, losing to their Japanese counterparts with a score of 7-11, 4-11, 8-11.

Achanta Sharath Kamal and Ayhika and Sutirtha Mukherjee are the only remaining Indians in the tournament, and while Achanta Sharath Kamal will be seen in action on March 13 in his second-round match, the schedule for the pre-quarterfinals of the women’s doubles is yet to be released.