New Delhi: It was a memorable night for the Indian paddlers at Kuala Lumpur as both the Indian men and women squads entered the Champions Division at the Perfect 2016 World Championships at Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
After having beaten Nigeria 3-2 to in the quarterfinals earlier in the day, India defeated Egypt 3-1 in the semifinals to achieve this rare feat in the most convincing way tonight. The Indian men will take on Brazil, who downed Serbia 3-1 in the other semifinal, in Second Division’s final tomorrow that will decide the position they achieve in this championships.
If it was Achanta Sharath Kamal, who leading from the front for the second time today, helped Indians achieve the impossible, a combined effort by our women’s team against Serbia saw India through the final and look ahead in the next world championships. The Indian women won 3-2.
After Soumyajit Ghosh failing again in the opening rubber against Omar Assar, it was left to Sharath to pull the rug from under the feel of Egypt. The ace Indian beat Mohammed El-Beiali 11-7, 11-5, 11-9 to level the score and in a very tricky third rubber, Harmeet Desai accounted for El-Sayed Lashin 3-2 to leave matters in the hand of Sharath who was to play his reverse singles next against Omar Assar.
And the top world-ranked Indian did not disappoint as he simply disposed of Assar in straight games to seal India’s entry in the Champions Division and also in the final of the Second Division.
Unlike the men’s semifinal, the women’s affair was a more complicated one with the Serbians. Mouma Das, playing the first match against Anamaria Erdelji, was caught on the wrong foot once again. The Serbian was too good on the day and beat her Indian rival 3-1. There was no respite to Indians as national champion Manika Batra lost her match to Gabriela Feher rather quickly and in straight games.
Down and out completely, K. Shamini provided the spark with a 3-1 win over Andrea Todorovic to pull back the Indians on track. Both Manika Batra and Mouma Das, determined as they were, took the cue and beat both Anamaria and Gabriela, 3-1 and 3-0, respectively. The Indians will meet Luxemburg in tomorrow’s Second Division final. Luxemburg beat Croatia 3-2 in the other semifinal.
The Results:
Men: India bt Egypt 3-1 (Soumyajit Ghosh lost to Omar Assar 5-11, 7-11, 4-11, A. Sharath Kamal bt Mohammed El-Beiali 11-7, 11-5, 11-9, Harmeet Desai bt El-Sayed Lashin 12-14, 11-6, 14-12, 11-5, A. Sharath Kamal bt Omar Assar 11-3, 12-10, 11-5).
Women: India bt Serbia 3-2 (Mouma Das lost to Anamaria Erdelji 11-3, 4-11, 2-11, 1-11, Manika Batra lost to Gabriela Feher 5-11, 10-12, 9-11, K. Shamini bt Andrea Todorovic 11-6, 5-11, 11-5, 11-5, Manika Batra bt Anamaria Erdelji 11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 11-5, Mouma Das bt Gabriela Feher 12-10, 11-8, 11-7).
