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The 2020 ITTF World Team Qualification Tournament witnessed the Indian women's table tennis team in action against Romania, and despite overcoming some stiff challenge from their opponents, the Manika Batra-led side fell to a 3-2 loss, bringing an end to their hopes of qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Earlier, the Indian women's team overcame Sweden in the Round of 32 clash a couple of days ago (22nd January) winning 3 - 2 in an exciting encounter that went down to the wire. Indian table tennis sensation Manika Batra was the star of the show for India, winning both her singles matches to set the team on course for the win.
However, the Romanian paddlers held their nerves, with Daniela in particular picking up a 3-2 win against Batra that saw her side secure their spot in the Tokyo Olympics 2020, while the Indian women's team lost out on an opportunity to book their quota in the women's Team event in Japan.
Match 1: Women's Doubles - Daniela Dodean Monteiro and Elizabeta Samara beat Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee (10 - 12, 12 - 10, 7 - 11, 11 - 5, 11 - 6)
The Indian team began the Round of 16 clash against the Romanian side on a poor note as the pair of Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee lost in five sets. The Romanian duo of Daniela Dodean Monteiro and Elizabeta Samara put Romania on the board with a 3 - 2 victory.
The Indian pair began the match on a strong note getting the set with a 12 - 10 win as the teams fought closely on the table. Romania bounced back quickly to win the second set with the same scoreline as the intensity of the match continued from the get-go. The Mukherjee duo got back into the lead claiming the third set with an 11 - 7 win. However, the Romanian pair got their bearings back rallying back in the match with two dominant set wins (11 - 6, 11 - 5) as they rounded off the match 3 - 2.
Match 2: Women's Singles - Manika Batra beat Bernadette Szocs (7 - 11, 12 - 10, 11 - 9, 11 - 7)
Manika Batra stepped up for the first singles match of the tie as she faced off against World No. 19 paddler Bernadette Szocs in hopes of getting the first point for India on the board. The start was a slow one as Szocs wrapped up the first set quickly with an 11 - 7 win owing to a lot of errors by Batra. However, Batra put up a tough front in the second set keeping it close till the end when she won it at 12 - 10.
From there on, Batra frustrated Szocs with her accurate serves and devastating smashes as she drew errors from the Romanian paddler. Batra won two consecutive sets imposing herself on the table and closed out the match with 11 - 9 and 11 - 7 wins. With this win, India equalled the points on the board at one each with more singles matches to be played.
Match 3: Women's Singles: Elizabeta Samara beat Ayhika Mukherjee (12 - 10, 5 - 11, 11 - 2, 11 - 7)
The second singles match of the tie in the women's team event saw Indian doubles specialist Ayhika Mukherjee take on Romanian paddler Elizabeta Samara for the lead on the scoreboard.
The first set was a closely fought affair with both the players in their prime touch on the table. Samara ended up winning the set with a 12 - 10 score putting the pressure on Ayhika from the start. The Indian player did well to get back in the match after the first set loss as she put on an enterprising second set performance to win 11 - 5 in quick time.
The joy was however short-lived for Ayhika Mukherjee as the Romanian Samara stepped up her game to a high level producing great strokes all across the table. She did not allow Mukherjee any chance in the third and fourth sets of the match.
Samara clinched the third set with a dominant 11 - 2 win and clinched the match with an 11 - 7 victory in the fourth set as she resisted any attempt of a comeback from Mukherjee. At the end of this match, Indian women trailed their Romanian counterparts by 1 - 2 on the scoreboard.
Match 4: Women's Singles - Sutirtha Mukherjee beat Bernadette Szocs (8 - 11, 11 - 7, 11 - 9, 3 - 11, 11 - 4)
The other half of the Indian Mukherjee duo, Sutirtha Mukherjee was in action for the crucial fourth match of the tie against Bernadette Szocs. Sutirtha Mukherjee had to clinch a win for the Indian team to take the tie into the final singles match and avoid elimination.
Bernadette Szocs had lost her previous singles match in the tie against Manika Batra but started well against Sutirtha Mukherjee. She kept errors at bay and clinched the first set with an 11 - 8 margin to put Romania on a strong foot in the match.
The second set saw Szocs take an early 6 - 3 lead with smart play but Mukherjee kept the spirit and mounted a comeback after a well-taken timeout by the Indian coach. Mukherjee rallied back with consistent shots and clinched the second set 11 - 7 to make it one set apiece in the match.
Mukherjee kept the momentum going into the third set and ran into a 4 - 1 lead within no time. Szocs did well to get back into the set and cut the lead to 8 - 10 but Mukherjee held on and won the third set 11 - 9 to take the lead. Szocs was in better touch in the fourth set as she produced good shots and forced errors from the Indian player. She was up 8 - 2 within a couple of minutes and closed out the set 11 - 3, in the end, to make it 2 - 2 in the match.
Both the ladies started the deciding set in intense fashion staying in close proximity on the scoreboard in the initial stages.at 3 - 3 but Mukherjee slowly pulled ahead to lead 6 - 3 at the timeout. Mukherjee maintained the momentum and went on to win 11 - 4 in fine fashion to equal the tie at two matches each and set the stage for a thrilling finish.
Match 5: Daniela Dodean Monteiro beat Manika Batra (11 - 8, 11 - 4, 3 - 11, 11 - 2)
The final match of the tie pitted the Indian star, Manika Batra, against Romania's Daniela Dodean Monteiro as the scores stood two matches each on the board.
The first set began with both players playing cautiously but the Romanian Monteiro inched ahead steadily forcing errors from Batra and led 8 - 5 at one point. Monteiro managed to keep her hold on the lead and won the first set with an 11 - 8 scoreline. Monteiro carried her momentum into the second set as well running to a 5 - 0 lead at the start of the set.
The Romanian paddler Monteiro did not allow any room to Manika Batra and snapped up the second set with an 11 - 4 score to make it two set wins and put the pressure on the Indian.
Manika Batra was up for the challenge and brought her A-game to the table in the third set of the crucial match. She was positive in her approach and attacked Monteiro aggressively and kept putting points on the board. She managed to dominate proceedings on the table and clinched the crucial set with an 11 - 3 score.
Monteiro recovered well from her third set loss and produced some brilliant strokes as she took a 5 - 1 lead early on in the fourth set of the match. She kept the momentum going and played clinical table tennis to clinch the match with an 11 - 2 commanding final set win.
