World Youth Table Tennis Championships: Indian U-15 girls end with bronze medal

The Indian U-15 table tennis girls team flattered to deceive as they went down 2-3 to Russia despite Suhana Saini’s valiant efforts in the semi-finals of the ITTF World Youth Championships at Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal on Friday.

Suhana Saini's wins could not stop the Russian Federation from entering the final, where they will take on Japan.

For the Indian table tennis girls' team, Pritha Vartikar began well in the opening rubber but let Zlata Terekhova dominate as she blunted the Indian’s attack to eke out a come-from-behind win 8-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-6.

Suhana, who is familiar with tough situations, did not give up in the second rubber and restored parity with an emphatic 3-1 (11-4, 15-13, 9-11, 11-9) victory over Kristina Kurilkina.

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But Sayali Wani Rajesh, lacking experience, lost to Anastasiia 8-11, 11-7, 5-11, 8-11 to put the pressure back on India and Suhana. However, the Haryana girl brushed it aside and notched another win in the reverse singles against Zlata in a tough fourth rubber.

The Indian table tennis player led 2-1 but let the Russian table tennis player come back to level the score and take the issue to the decider. And, Suhana did not let herself and India down, as she shut out Zlata for a 12-10, 8-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7 win.

In the fifth rubber, Pritha was outplayed by Kristina who won 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 to force the Indians to be satisfied with a bronze medal.

Indian table tennis U-19 girls lose

The Indian U-19 table tennis girls lost in the quarter-finals against the USA when Swastika Ghosh and Dia Chitale both lost their matches. Swastika lost 2-3 (11-5, 11-4, 6-11, 6-11, 7-11) to Rachel Sung and Dia went down to Amy Wang in a similar fashion 2-3 (11-9, 11-7, 6-11, 8-11, 7-11).

The loss was totally unexpected as both Indian table tennis players lost the plot after enjoying a comfortable 2-0 lead.

It was Yashaswini Ghorpade who saved the face for India when she defeated USA’s Joanna Sung in straight games of 11-6, 11-9, 11-6.

However, the American table tennis players put the issue beyond India when Amy defeated Swastika 11-8, 11-6, 5-11, 11-4 for a 3-1 win to seal their place in the semi-finals.

In the U-15 boys category, it was heartbreaking for India as the table tennis players went down 2-3 against a strong Russian Federation.

The Indian table tennis boys, who had a 2-0 lead through Preyesh Raj Suresh, who won 11-5, 12-14, 11-6, 11-4 against Koniukhov llia and Ankur Bhattacharjee beating Aleksei Samokahin 11-7, 13-11, 8-11, 11-7, failed to capitalize and lost the next three rubbers to be ousted in the quarter-finals.

Shankhadip Das, playing the third singles lost to Roman Vinogradov 11-9, 7-11, 6-11, 9-11, and then Ankur went down to Konikukhov 9-11, 9-11, 1-11 to let the Russians claw back into the contest.

In the decider, the left-handed Indian table tennis player Preyesh wilted under pressure exerted by Aleksei and lost 10-12, 11-6, 9-11, 11-13.