Indian men out of medal contention in Asian TT

Indian men paddlers bowed out of the medal reckoning after losing to Chinese Taipei 2-3 in the quarterfinals of Asian Table Tennis Championships here today.

The Indians gave a tough fight to their fancied opponents and the unexpected hero was national champion A Amalraj who won both his matches against Chen Chien and Huang Sheng Sheng.

But Achanta Sharath Kamal and Subhajit Saha lost their matches as India bowed out of medal rounds.

Later, the Indians went down 1-3 to North Korea in the fifth-eighth classification match and will now play for the 7-8 position game.

Earlier, the women paddlers too bit the dust, first losing to China 0-3 in the quarterfinals and subsequently to both Chinese Taipei and South Korea to finish eighth.

Men: Quarterfinals: Chinese Taipei bt India 3-2 (Huang Sheng Sheng bt Achantha Sharath Kamal 11-5, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7; Chen Chien An lost to Anthony Amalraj 11-3, 7-11, 9-11, 8-11; Wu Chih Chi bt Subjajit Saha 8-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-7; Huang Sheng Sheng lost to Anthony Amalraj 11-4, 11-4, 7-11, 6-11, 8-11; Chen Chien An bt Achantha Sharath Kamal 6-11, 11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5.

5-8 Position: North Korea bt India 3-1 (Jang Song Man bt Anthony Amalraj 11-3, 11-4, 11-9; Hyok Bong Kim lost to Achanta Sharath Kamal 14-12, 6-11, 5-11, 8-11; Kim Song Nam bt Soumyajit Ghosh 8-11, 11-6, 12-10, 9-11, 11-5; Jang Song Man bt Achanta Sharath Kamal  4-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-5.

Women: Quarterfinals: China bt India 3-0 (Ding Ning bt Mouma Das 11-7, 11-8, 11-3; Guo Yan bt Poulomi Ghatak 13-11, 11-5, 11-3; Guo Yue bt Ankita Das 11-2, 11-7, 11-8.5-8 Positions: Chinese Taipei bt India 3-0 (Chen Szu Yu bt Mouma Das 6-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 11-7; Cheng I Ching bt Poulomi Ghatak 13-11, 11-4, 11-2; Liu Hsing Yin bt Ankita Das 7-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8.

7-8 Position: North Korea bt India 3-0 (Kim Jong bt Poulami Ghatak 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7; Ri Myong Sun bt Mouma Das 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4; Kim Hye Song bt Shamini Kumaresan 11-1, 14-12, 9-11, 11-7.