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The Indian men’s paddlers were outplayed by their South Korean counterparts and went down 3-0 in their third group-stage match at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships 2024, taking place at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Centre (BESCO) in South Korea on Monday, February 19.
The Indian men’s team started their campaign in style, winning against Chile 3-0 before losing their next match against Poland 3-1.
In the tie against South Korea, India’s veteran paddlers Achanta Sharath Kamal and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, alongside Harmeet Desai, were seen in action, but the highly experienced trio could not do much against South Korea’s strong lineup. Both Gnanasekaran and Desai went down in straight sets, while Kamal could only win one against his opponent, Lee Sang Su.
A closer look at the Indian men’s team’s tie against South Korea at the World Team Table Tennis Championships 2024
The first match of the tie saw India’s Harmeet Desai take on South Korea’s Jang Woojin. Desai, who was the only Indian to win a match against Poland on Sunday, February 18, continued to play some fabulous table tennis. But the World No. 14 from South Korea proved to be too strong for the Indian paddler. Desai went down in straight games with a 4-11, 10-12, 8-11 scoreline.
In the second match, Commonwealth Games gold medalist Sathiyan Gnanasekaran faced Lim Jonghoon of South Korea. Gnanasekaran, who was rested against Poland after his win in the tie against Chile, looked to continue his form from the first game.
The Indian paddler played some fantastic shots throughout the match, giving a fight to his South Korean counterpart. But the World No. 18 paddler from South Korea dominated most of the rallies and had an answer to almost all of Gnanasekaran’s shots and wrapped up the match with a final score of 11-5, 11-7, 11-7.
2-0 down in the tie, India’s most experienced paddler, Achanta Sharath Kamal, took on the World No. 27 from South Korea, Lee Sang Su. Kamal started the match with some phenomenal shots. The Indian stayed on par with his opponent, but a few unforced errors saw him narrowly lose the first set 9-11. He continued his style of play in the second set, making fewer errors. Kamal stunned the Korean, winning the game 11-8.
However, Lee Sang Su found his rhythm once again and quickly took the next two games, not giving Kamal a chance to adapt to the strategic changes he deployed. Sang Su wrapped up the match with a final score of 11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5.
Despite the loss, India sit second in the group behind South Korea. However, it is important to note that Poland and New Zealand have played one game less than India.
India will next take on New Zealand in their fourth group-stage match on Tuesday, February 20.
Results
India 0-3 South Korea
Harmeet Desai 0-3 Jang Woojin (4-11, 10-12, 8-11)
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran 0-3 Lim Jonghoon (5-11, 7-11, 7-11)
Achanta Sharath Kamal 1-3 Lee Sang Su (9-11, 11-8, 6-11, 5-11)
