PANJIM: Young Indian paddler Archana Kamath pulled off a stunning win over Portugal’s World No. 53 Jieni Shao to move into the women’s singles pre-quarterfinals in the ongoing World Table Tennis Star Contender Goa 2024 at the Peddem Indoor Sta. Kamath made a remarkable comeback, winning the next two games before clinching the match by 3-2 (9-11, 11-5, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5) to progress into the next round of the tournament.
Meanwhile, the Indian pair of Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah exit the tournament after facing a 1-3 (7-11, 11-7, 8-11, 9-11) defeat against Kao Cheng-jui and Chuang Chih-yuan of Chinese Taipei in the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles category.
In the Last-8 of the women’s doubles category, South Korea’s Shin Yubin and Eon Jihee beat Sayali Wani and Taneesha Kotecha 3-0 (11-2, 12-10, 11-2) whereas pair of Diya Chitale and Sreeja Akula also faced a 0-3 (9-11, 8-11, 8-11) defeat against Cheng I-ching and Li Yu-jhun of Chinese Taipei.
Manush and Diya fought hard in their quarter-final of the mixed doubles category before going down 2-3 (5-11, 11-6, 14-12, 8-11, 6-11) to the Spanish pair of Alvaro Robles and Maria Xiao.
The men’s singles category saw a comfortable victory of World Number 8 France’s Felix Lebrun, who defeated Park Gyuhyeon of South Korea by 3-0 (11-6, 13-11, 18-16) to move into the pre-quarterfinals. England’s Liam Pitchford overcame the challenge of Wong Chun Ting by 3-2 (11-6, 8-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-8).
France’s Prithika Pavade registered a come-from-behind win by 3-2 (9-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-3) against Ryu Hanna in the round-of-32 of the women’s singles category, while World No. 8 Shin Yubin of South Korea defeated compatriot Choi Hyojoo 3-2 (11-5, 7-11, 12-10, 3-11, 11-4) in a thriller.
