Tokyo Olympics: Manika Batra and Sharath Kamal lose 4-0, knocked out

Indian representation in the mixed doubles event for table tennis, at the Tokyo Olympics, Manika and Sharath end their team mixed doubles journey after losing to Chinese Taipei in the first match in the Round of 16. The star duo succumbed to the third seeds, Lin Yun-ju and Cheng I-Ching of Chinese Taipei 4-0.

Manika and Sharath started the round with a few points’ lead but ended up tailing off in the second half of the first round. Ended up losing that 11-8 to Lin Yun-ju and Cheng I-Ching. The performance of the Indian padders from that moment on was just a downward slope. They ended up losing straight sets. This means both of them have been knocked out. The power of 19-year-old Lin from both flanks was too much to handle for Sharath and Manika. They came into the Olympics having won the qualifying competition. (follow sportslumo.com for Olympics update)

Even when Manika used her dynamic long pimpled rubber to break down the opponent’s pace. It was almost like they were impossible to beat. Sharath made sure that all his topspins were on point. However, the Taipei pair was too smooth and fast to fall for the deception. The Taipei players were successful in returning most of the shots played by the Indian pair. Indians could not get their grip on this match.

Sharath and Manika had practised together for just three days in the national camp before boarding the flight to Tokyo for Tokyo Olympics. With their performance in the qualifying event, the Asian Games bronze medallists had raised hopes of a historic medal at the Olympics. Manika and Sutirtha Mukherjee will play their women’s singles first round matches later on Saturday.

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(With Inputs from PTI)