The Indian women’s team finished sixth in the Asian Table Tennis Championships after losing 0-3 to Thailand in Pyeongchang, South Korea on Tuesday.
The Indian men’s team, already assured of a bronze medal, will take on Chinese Taipei in the semifinals on Wednesday.
The trio of Harmeet Desai, G Sathiyan and Achanta Sharath Kamal had beaten Singapore 3-0 in the quarter-finals on Monday.
In the women’s event, India beat Singapore 3-2 in a 5-8 positions match before going down to Thailand in the fifth-position showdown.
Against Singapore, Manika Batra began well against Jingyi Zhou (11-9, 11-3, 11-6) to put India 1-0 ahead. But Sreeja Akula’s loss to Jian Zeng (7-11, 6-11, 7-11) gave Singapore the equaliser in the tie.
Ayhika Mukjerjee’s win against Ru Xin Wong provided India a 2-1 lead.
In the reverse singles, Batra failed to overcome Jian Zeng and lost 8-11, 6-11, 7-11. Akula managed to make amends for her earlier loss with a 3-1 (12-10, 11-3, 9-11, 11-6) win over Jingyi with India sealing the tie 3-2.
In the second tie of the day, Thailand’s Suthasini Sawettabutt accounted for Akula losing 11-6, 11-5, 11-6. Then Orawan Paranang needed four games to beat Batra 11-4, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6 before Wanwisa Aueawiriyayothin overcame Diya Chitale 15-13, 8-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-8 to grab the fifth position.
All the Indian mixed doubles teams were unable to progress past the Round of 32 stage.
Sathiyan and Batra went down 2-3 (11-7, 10-12, 11-6, 8-11, 9-11) in the Round of 32 to another Thai pair, Phakpoom Sanguansin and Orawan Paranang.
During the match, Batra seemed to have twisted her ankle and needed a 10-minute medical attention. But the Indian duo continued and lost.
Desai and Akula followed suit and lost to the top-seeded Japanese pair of Tomokazu Harimoto and Hina Hayata 6-11, 7-11, 8-11 in another Round of 32 match.
In their first round, Desai and Akula had beaten the Malaysian pair of Shen Qi Wong and Xin Ai Tee 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9.
(With inputs from PTI)
