: WTT Star Contender Goa 2023: Indias campaign ends with Manika, Sutirthas exit in pre-quarters #IndiaNEWS #Sports Panjim (Goa), March 3 (IANS) Indian table tennis players Manika Batra and Sutirtha

WTT Star Contender Goa 2023: Indias campaign ends with Manika, Sutirthas exit in pre-quarters #IndiaNEWS #Sports
Panjim (Goa), March 3 (IANS) Indian table tennis players Manika Batra and Sutirtha Mukherjee crashed out in the round of 16 of the womens singles event of the WTT Star Contender Goa 2023, bringing an end to countrys campaign at the meet, here on Friday.
Sutirtha and Manika, the two surviving home country hopefuls, met with superior opponents on the day. Sutirtha came up well-short against the experience and guile of Portuguese Fu Yu (wr #19 ) in her last 16 match.
The veteran with the pen-hold grip pulled off a 3-0 (11-5,11-7,11-5) win to move to the quarters. This was the second time Sutirtha has lost to Fu.
On the other hand, Manika was up against Qian Tanyi (wr #20) of China and went down 1-3 (6-11,3-11,11-9,11-7). The Indian did put up a fight even winning a close third game, but the Chinese was clearly in control of the match from the outset.
I am done with my tournament. I think I just gave my best in this tournament. But winning and losing is a part of every athletes life. I have learnt many things from my game. I will just work on that and I will just give my 100%. I will work hard for my next tournament for my country, said Batra after the match.
Teenagers shine
Meanwhile, the teenage power was on full display on day five of the WTT Star Contender Goa.
First, Chinese 17-year-old Lin Shidong took out giant-killing Korean Cho Daeseong 3-2 (9-11,11-5,11-9,11-5,11-4), then 14-year-old Japanese sensation Miwa Harimoto reached two finals and the womens singles quarters, before 16-year-old French talent Felix Lebrun packed off Swedish world number (wr) #4 Truls Moregard 3-1(11-7,11-8,7-11,11-7) to confirm teenagers day at the first ever Indian WTT series event.
The highlights of day six Saturday will be the two mens and womens doubles semi-finals and the mixed doubles final, before four finals conclude the tournament on Sunday.
Five Chinese paddlers in singles quarters
The teenaged Lin in-fact led a group of five Chinese paddlers into the mens and womens singles quarter-finals. Liang Jungkun (wr #7), a winner of five international titles besides multiple world championship medals, made the last eight with a comfortable 3-0 (8/4/8) result against Hungarian Bence Majoros. He will meet countryman Lin Gaoyuan (wr #12), who defeated Swede Kristian Karlsson (wr #19) 3-2 (8-11,11-7,9-11,11-6,11-7) in a dogfight.
In a battle of two Chinese in the womens singles, top seeded Wang Yidi (wr #4) bossed Kuai Man (wr #26) 3-1(11-9,11-3,10-12,11-3) to join compatriot Qian in the last eight.
Miwa in two-finals
The day also belonged to 14-year-old Japanese sensation Miwa Harimoto, the younger sibling of mens world number four Tomakazu Harimoto, as she made both the mixed and womens doubles finals and also made it through to the womens singles quarter-finals.